Doki Doki Literature Club: The Aftermath
by the guy in your attic
Summary: (Spoilers) The nightmare was over. Monika was gone and the game was reset. However, her many changes to the files remained. Sayori's crippling depression. Natsuki's malnourishment. Yuri's building obsession. It was all still there. Though now that the cause of it was gone, Aaron figured that nothing more than a little time was enough to give his friends the peace they deserved.
1. Happy Thoughts

I open my eyes to gaze at the deep blue sea in front of me, the rays of the bright sun glisten and reflect in the water as the hot beach sand burns my bare feet, only for the cool waves to come crashing onto the shore soon after, relieving my feet of the sand's burning sensation as the water reaches up to my knees.

I look down at my body. Small. Tiny. Puny. Weak. Underdeveloped muscles. Bones with a durability compared to that of a tree branch. My skin slightly tanned from the sun's harsh rays. My body is that of a child. A little girl no older than six, to be precise.

The salty sea air blows swiftly through my short, light brown hair as I continue to stare at the ocean before me, the sounds of the waves and the glistening reflections of the sun keeping me in a trance as I sigh contently.

Most girls my age are delighted by the sight of the water, eager to laugh and play within it. Me? I'm not. Don't get me wrong. I like the ocean, but seeing it doesn't make me giggle and squeal in joy like all the other children. In fact, I don't think I've ever really felt such an emotion. Joy. Never felt happiness either, now that I think about it.

I know fully well what this emotion is and can easily replicate it to fool onlookers, but deep down… I don't think I even have the capacity for such a feeling. I don't know why this is. It's just who I am.

Sadness though. Crying. Hurt. Pain. I know those feelings all too well. I've grown up with them my whole life and understand them better than anything else.

My mind is really… really mean to me. Cruel. Heartless even. Shouting and snarling at me constantly. Berating me for my mistakes. Laughing at me for my incompetence. My ineptitude. Always trying to force little rain clouds over me. Making me doubt myself. Making me doubt others.

Making me want to end myself…

I think my mind hates me. Hates me so much that it wants me to kill myself.

I know it's not right for a child of my age to feel this way. I should be telling somebody about this. My friends. My teachers at school. My mother or father but… they'd just laugh at me. I know they would. Even if they do show concern… the voice in my head says that concern is born of pity. I don't like being pitied.

These little rain clouds loom over me twenty-four seven, raining their terrible shower of self hatred on me. However… recently, I met this boy… This special boy who makes the rain clouds go away, if only for awhile.

We met in kindergarten. Some of the other girls were being really unfriendly to me, their very being filled with a bitterness I didn't even think a child would be capable of holding. Then he showed up. Came as soon as I started crying.

He told them to take a hike, whatever that meant. Then he shouted some other word at them. I didn't understand what it meant, but I have heard some adults use it against each other from time to time. Apparently it's a very nasty word. It made those evil girls run away and cry almost as hard as I did. Then the boy came and hugged me.

That was all he did. Just hugged me. Wrapped his tiny arms around me and held me close. Told me those girls would never bother me again as long as he was around. After releasing me, he declared me his friend and spent the rest of class with me. Ever since then, we've been inseparable.

That was mainly on my part. Unlike other boys who I found disgusting and irritating at the time, I wanted to be closer to this one. I yearned for him to be near me in order to keep my mind quiet. He seems to scare it into silent submission just like he did with those girls. Makes those horrible rain clouds go away too, if only for a little while. When he's near me… I can almost feel a smile creep up on me. Not like fake ones I use to trick my parents. These ones are real, honest to goodness smiles. Happiness.

But only when he's around. When he's gone… the voices in my mind come back. And they get angry. The rain clouds return as furious storms and my mind turns downright murderous towards me. It hates him. Hates what he does to me. Hates how he protects me. It tells me to stay away. Says he's only my friend because he feels bad for me. Says he'll grow to hate me if I get too attached.

It even says he might try hurt me.

But I pay the voice in my head no mind. I give it no attention. I know it's only trying to trick me into doing what it wants. It's trying to make me feel just as scared as it feels when he's around. Ironically, that only makes me want to be near him more. My mind was an enemy I could never fight back against. But with him around… I don't need to. He does all the fighting for me.

"Sayori!" I hear his voice shout loudly in the distance, freeing me from my trance as I turn around to see him standing a good few feet behind me, dressed in his neon green beach shorts and white shirt, waving his arms up into the air as he calls to me.

I put on a small smile as I leave the shoreline of the beach, walking over to him.

"What is it, Aaron?" I ask the boy as I approach him, seeing the excited look on his face, as if he made some great discovery that he had to share with me. My smile widens at the thought of that, knowing that when Aaron gets that look on his face, we're in for an adventure.

"I found it, Sayori!" He says, the volume in his voice still as loud as before, shouting as if I'm still far away, even though I'm right in front of him.

"Found what?"

"It!" He says as he grabs me by the wrist, pulling me with him as we dash through the beach, leaving our prints in the sand as we make our way to the shoreline only to go round a ridge. It was then he showed me what _it_ was.

"A cave?" I ask, confused as I look at him, puzzled as to what was so special. I guessed a cave on the beach was special in it's own right, but I'd hardly see it as the amazing revelation he made it out to be. "What's so special about a cave?" I ask again, skepticism clear on my face.

"It's not the cave that's special. It's what's inside, you big dummy!" Aaron says excitedly, his smile never fading away, even after apparently insulting me.

"I can't see anything" I respond as I squint hardly at the entrance shrouded in darkness.

"That's the point! We've got no idea what's in there! It could be treasure!" Aaron assumes, under the delusion that riches were hidden within.

"Or vicious animals" I say, my assumption much closer to reality. Aaron's happy smile is then replaced with a light scowl, scolding me silently for destroying his little fantasy. "Sorry…" I apologize meekly, hanging my head down low.

"You're such a downer, Sayori" He says to me. "Still though, animals or not, there's got to be something cool in there" Aaron assumes again, my head slowly picking back up as my mind ponders the idea.

"Maybe…" I say.

"Well, we won't know until we check it out. Even if there's nothing in there. At least we got to go on an adventure, right? Now let's go!"

"Wait!" I shout as I grab Aaron by the wrist, stopping him from entering. "What if… What if there really are animals in there? I don't want you to get hurt" I say to him, showing my concern for his health. "I don't wanna get hurt either" I add.

Aaron stands still for a moment, thinking on my words silently, his hands crossed and his foot tapping rhythmically on the sand. His face then lights up as he looks past me, having a eureka moment.

"I'll just use that!" He points to the object behind me, a small wooden sword planted in the sand. Most likely a toy left behind by another child. "If anything tries to hurt us, I'll just beat 'em up with this!" He says as he walks over, his small hands gripping the wooden hilt as he pulls it out of the sand before swinging it left and right, trying to get a good feel for the weight of his new toy. "Don't worry, Sayori. I'll protect you!" He says confidently, sword in hand. My breath almost immediately gets caught in my throat after hearing that, my cheeks quickly turning red with embarrassment.

"Wha-What's that supposed to mean?! You're… You're really silly, Aaron!" I say with a pout as I turn my face from him, trying to hide my sudden embarrassment.

"I just can't win with you today, can I?" He asks, sighing at his failure to reassure me. "Well, if you don't wanna come, that's okay. I'll just go on the adventure without you. See you back at the house, Sayori!" He adds cheerfully as he walks past me, entering the dark cave armed with nothing but the wooden sword, confident in his ability to protect himself from any and all dangers that could be lurking.

It's now been a good twenty seconds since he left, and already I can feel the rain clouds return. They begin to push awful thoughts in my head. Thoughts too horrible for my young mind to be experiencing, so much so that I don't even have the words to describe them. And then it hits me…

What if Aaron dies in there because I didn't go into the cave with him? What if those vicious animals are too much for him to handle alone?! What if he falls down a ledge and gets hurt?! What if the cave collapses and leaves him trapped alone inside?!

"H-Hey! Wait for me, Aaron!"

* * *

"What the hell am I thinking?! I can't show them this!" Sayori realized in a frustrated tone as she ripped the page out of her notebook, crumbling up the short story she had just written before throwing it across her bedroom, watching it fall into the small waste bin where it belonged.

She then grunted in aggravation as she plopped back down in her desk chair, her hands covering her face as she breathed deeply, trying to calm herself. "Why is this always so hard?" She asked herself as she leaned into the chair, her hands still covering her face.

 _It's hard because you're a pathetic waste of skin! Everything you do is nothing more then a miserable failure! That's your life in a nutshell basically! Answer honestly now, how the hell did you become president of a literature club when you barely know how to put together a paragraph?!_

Sayori sighed as she swatted the negative thoughts away, trying her best to pay the hurtful voices no mind as she got to work writing her new story, being extra careful with this one.

Sayori was the current president and founder of the literature club at her high school, having formed the club over two months ago. It wasn't much of a club though. More of a group, only having the bare minimum amount of members to be considered official. Only four, Sayori included.

She had no idea why she wanted to go out of her way to start a brand new club, especially for something like literature, which until recently, she'd never even shown an interest in. But she ended up starting it anyway.

She couldn't explain it but it just felt… right. Like this was what she was supposed to be doing. Like this was what she needed to do. And she'd be lying if she said she didn't like it. Since it was relatively small when compared to some of the larger clubs, managing it was a breeze. And she had made a few new friends upon starting the club. Friends that… were much more fitting of the title of president then her. Friends who were much more passionate about literature then she was.

Still though. What was done, was done. Sayori was president of the literature club, and so she'd try her best to fit the role and meet the requirements… even if it was mentally exhausting for her.

"Okay. You can do this. Just… start writing and everything will come to you naturally. Just… think happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Happy… thoughts" She chanted before breathing deeply, her pen clutched tightly between her fingers as she continued writing her new story.

Yesterday, Sayori had given everyone the assignment of writing a short story as a way of expressing themselves through their work, as well as making them more open to the idea of sharing such work. This was a literature club after all. However, the various members of the club weren't very keen on actually talking about or discussing literature.

For the most part, everyone just sat in the club room, silently tending to their own business while barely interacting with each other. One of the members didn't even start talking until recently.

Sayori wanted to change that. She wanted to grow close to her club members and wanted them to grow close to her. She also wanted her club to grow as well. And the first step towards achieving that goal was to make sure the club actually fulfilled its purpose, which was for the discussion and sharing of literature. Even though that was the main objective, most of the club members were incredibly introverted, which obviously got in the way of the whole sharing and discussion thing. Sayori had hoped that by getting the club members to share a bit of their writing, she could fix this problem while allowing her members to slowly open up to each other.

"Okay… that should do it" She said as she set her pen down on the desk, the ink within used to write a brand new story upon the pages of her notebook.

This new one was even worst then her last.

It was very happy, of course. Had that feel good vibe that Sayori was known for but… the wording and language is so basic and simple that a child could easily replicate it. Maybe even write something better. And don't even get started on the plot. If Sayori's writing skills won't be criticized for this, her lack of imagination and talent for wordplay definitely will, especially by the club's more… passionate member.

"I should just throw this one away too!"

"Sayori! Wake up, dear! Your breakfast is ready!" Her mother's voice called out from below, Sayori's head tilting to the side in confusion.

Breakfast? But it was the middle of the night? Who makes breakfast at… unless…

"I've been up for nine hours straight?!" Sayori shouted in panic as she looked at the alarm clock by her bedside, the sight of the early morning sun peering in through the window confirming her fear. She's been at this for that long? So much so that the entire night passed her by?! She wasted an entire night's rest just to pen a stupid story?!

"Sayori?" Her mother called again.

"I'll be down in a minute!" She shouted to her door as she quickly stood up from her desk, racing into her closet to retrieve her school's uniform. A white undershirt with a navy blue short skirt as well as a brown sweater vest and matching blazer with a red bow to tie around the collar.

After hastily putting on her uniform, she sprinted out of her room and into the bathroom, frantically brushing her teeth with the speed and power of a machine before quickly running a brush through her hair. She then returned to her room, facing her desk as she gazed down at her notebook, the page of the freshly written yet horrible story still open.

"It'll just have to do" She sighed as she tore the page out, folded it and put it in the pocket of her blazer. She then grabbed her book bag and made her way downstairs, quickly eating her breakfast before leaving for school.

"Have a good day at school, sweetie!" Her mother said, waving goodbye as Sayori left the house.

"I'll try… I always try" She said under her breath as she walked out the door, ready but not exactly willing to face the day ahead of her.

* * *

"She's late again" A young man stated in a frustrated tone as he stood beside the crossing at the end of the street, rhythmically tapping his foot as he waited. He than sighed as he ran a hand through his short brown hair. "She told me she wouldn't oversleep again" He said to himself, reciting the broken promise she made yesterday.

She always did this. Ever since they were little kids, Sayori would always find a way to be late for just about anything, be it the walk to school or important events. Honestly, the boy who stood waiting didn't understand why he'd expected anything different.

He had hoped that his dear childhood friend would finally be motivated to wake up on time, now that she was in a position of authority and leadership, forcing her to serve as an example to others. But no. No such thing was in the cards. Even after two whole months of leading the literature club, President Sayori is as lazy and inconsiderate as ever.

The young man sighed again as he checked the time on his cell phone. Class starts in five minutes and he can only barely make it to the school's front gate in four. As much as he wanted to stay and wait, he sadly couldn't.

"Wait! Aaron! Wait for me!" Sayori yelled loudly as she ran towards him, giving the boy a name as she sprinted, flailing her arms around without so much as a care for anyone who was watching, Aaron sighing for a third time as he continued to stand and wait, Sayori eventually catching up to him, collapsing onto her knees as she breathed heavily, exhausted from the running. "Sorry… Lost track of time" She said, giving a pathetic justification for her tardiness.

"Overslept again?" Aaron assumed, looking down at the exhausted girl as he pulled out a bottle of water from his book bag, offering it to Sayori. "You made a promise that you'd start waking up on time" He added as Sayori's eyes lit up at the sight of the bottle from his hands, eagerly snatching it from his grasp and taking big gulps in order to rehydrate.

"Thanks. And I didn't oversleep this time! I underslept…" She stated after she guzzled down every last drop, small streams of the water having spilled down her face, dripping onto her uniform. "Stood up all night working on the assignment" She continued. "What about you? You get your story done, Aaron?" She asked as she looked up at him, still slightly exhausted from her sprint.

"Yeah yeah" Aaron said in a dismissive tone, a telling sign that he probably didn't take the assignment his president had given him seriously. "Wrote it just before going to sleep and spell checked it twice this morning" He stated.

"That's great to hear! Knowing you, I bet it came out amazingly well! I can't wait to read it!" Sayori said with a wide smile, giving praise towards a story she hadn't even read yet. She honestly didn't care whether Aaron did take his writing seriously or not. The story could be as bad as hers, yet she'd still give praise and encouragement. She was just happy that Aaron had followed through with the assignment and was able to involve himself in the club's activities. "I'm so proud of you!" She added.

"Um… Thanks, I guess. How'd yours come out?"

"Mine came out great!" Sayori stated proudly, her bright, happy smile still visible for Aaron to see. "I'm sure everyone's going to love it! And even if they don't, that's okay. This isn't really supposed to impress anybody anyway. It's just a way of helping us loosen up a little around each other" She stated, explaining the purpose of the club assignment to Aaron. "It's not a competition, you know?"

"Yeah. I know" He said as Sayori picked herself up, the two of them now walking side by side as they made their way to school. "I'm kinda glad it's not a competition honestly. Yuri would crush us" Aaron joked, Sayori and him chuckling a little at the truth in that statement.

"We'd get destroyed the moment she started reading" She added, her giggling stopping as her head slowly turned it's gaze down at her feet, her smile fading away from her face. "She's… a lot better at it than us" Sayori said in a low, meek tone, somewhat intimidated by the writing skills of one particular member.

"Something wrong?" Aaron asked, noticing the change in his childhood friend's behavior.

"Aaron… I know you've only been in the club for a few weeks but… Do you think I'm a good president?" Sayori asked as she looked Aaron in the eyes, seeing his head tilt to the side slightly as he pondered such a question.

"What makes you ask that?" He questioned. "Is something wrong?"

"N-No. Nothing! Nothing at all! It's just… The others. Sometimes I think they're more deserving of the position, you know? They're much more passionate about this stuff than me. They could write full on novels in a week. I stood up all night just trying to get a short story done. I could never match their skill. Makes me think… Maybe one of the others would be more fit-"

"Yuri would get nervous and cave under the pressure and Natsuki's too stubborn to handle the responsibility" Aaron said bluntly, a firm look on his face as Sayori turned to him, shocked to hear him say such statements about his fellow club members, even if they were true.

The way he said it though… so blunt and sure. It was as if Aaron knew the other girls so well to the point where he understood their thought patterns, allowing him to make accurate predictions of their performances as president based solely on previously shown behavior.

What was odd about this for Sayori though, was the fact that Aaron was still relatively new to the club, being in it for only two weeks, thereby not on such a personal level with the other members to warrant such a judge of their characters. In fact, Sayori found it a bit rude of him to just dismiss them as poor choices for the position of president.

"And how do you know that, exactly?" She asked.

"I… dunno" Aaron said in a shocked tone, stopping dead in his tracks as his fingers hovered over his mouth, as if he was trying to catch the very words he spoke.

Why did he say that? Why did he just suddenly dismiss his fellow club members capabilities without even attempting to think on it? He assured himself that it wasn't for some mean spirited reason. It wasn't out of spitefulness or hatred for them. He just… assumed that would be how they acted and his gut told him that his assumption was right.

He found it very odd that he was able to make such an accurate and head on statement, given how little he knew of his club members.

"I just… It just came out. I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything bad by it, really!" He said, quickly making sure to apologize for such behavior, talking bad about his club members behind their backs. And to the president of all people!

"Relax, Aaron. It's fine" Sayori dismissed, her smile returning as she took Aaron's hand into her own, motioning for them to continue their walk. "I think you may be right about them though. I can imagine them acting like that" She added as the both of them soon arrived at the front gate, walking through and entering school grounds.

"Well, here we are" Aaron said as they entered the main building, seeing the large amount of students filling the halls, walking to classes, fiddling with lockers, talking. The air in the hall feeling heavy. Hard to swallow. Claustrophobic.

"Catch you after class?" Sayori asked after rummaging through her locker, a small stack of books, folders and other necessities clutched to her chest.

"Yeah. Goodbye" Aaron waved as the two parted ways, walking to their separate classes.


	2. Welcome To The Literature Club!

"Ugh! Come on!" Natsuki shouted in irritation as she laid on the cold stone floor of the school's main hall, her hand under one of the vending machines, shuffling around on the dusty, dirty floor to look for coins. "Just come out already so I can spend you! You're money! It's like, what you were made to be used for!" She shouted again.

She soon sighed in defeat as she pulled her hand back, picking herself up off the floor and moving to rest on her knees in front of the vending machine, a look of disappointment and sadness on her face as she hung her head down low.

"I just wanted one candy bar… One. Is that too much to ask?" She sighed again, feeling her stomach growl like an animal at the mere mention of food. "Stupid, unfair machine!" She shouted in a sudden burst of anger as she stood up, her foot going into contact with the glass of the vending machine, the loud bang echoing throughout the empty hall.

Sadly though, the glass was still intact, keeping the sweet treats it held within out of Natsuki's grasp.

She groaned in aggravation as she once again failed to get her way, bashing her skull lightly against the seemingly impenetrable glass in frustration, the sweets inside practically taunting her. _We know you want to eat us!_ They shout from inside their cozy little wrappers! _Well, too bad! We can't all get what we want! Starve!_

"Stupid, unfair machine" Natsuki repeated as she turned away, pouting as she crossed her arms, her head looking down at her feet. Great. Now what was she going to do? She was just… so hungry. All she wanted was one candy bar. A protein bar. Anything. Just to tide her over until she got home… then she'd at least be able to eat something.

But no. Life, as cruel as it is, just decided that today would be the day poor little Natsuki would starve to near death.

"Natsuki?" She perked her head up when she heard a voice coming from down the hall. A familiar voice. A boy's voice.

"Great. Now I've gotta deal with him" Natsuki huffed under her breath, looking off to her side to see a boy with short brown hair and matching eyes standing a few feet away her. Aaron was his name, one of the newest members of the literature club. "Yeah? What do you want?" Natsuki asked as she looked up at him, the aggravation from before still on her face. "Well? You just gonna stare at me or are you going to say something?" She added.

"Um… You okay? I heard you punch the vending machine" Aaron stated, taking a cautionary step back as he noticed the sour mood of his fellow club member.

It wasn't out of disrespect or fear of her, of course. Aaron just knew that when Natsuki was… irritated, it was best for him to keep his distance and give her as much breathing room as possible, lest she unjustly take said irritation out on him.

That wasn't to imply that the two were incapable of getting along. In fact, when compared to the other members of the club, Natsuki was the one Aaron felt was the easiest to connect with, the both of them being vehemently interested in things like anime, video games and of course, manga.

Their tastes did differ slightly however, Natsuki having more of an affinity for cutesy things, fitting for someone of her personality and appearance, if the pink hair and smallish figure wasn't already enough of a dead giveaway.

"I'm fine, obviously" Natsuki responded, a hostile tone in her voice. "And no, I didn't punch the vending machine. I kicked it…" She corrected.

"And why did you do that?"

"Pfff! Like you need to know. Don't you have someone else to bother?" Natsuki asked, angered by Aaron's questioning as she turned her back to him, her arms still crossed as she peeked her head over her shoulder, only to see Aaron roll his eyes and shake his head, causing Natsuki to huff. "Alright. I got hungry, okay? I wanted a snack but I don't have any money. That got me mad so I kicked the damn thing. Happy? Are you done interrogating me?" She snarled.

"That's what all this is about? You want a snack?" Aaron asked, turning his gaze away from Natsuki and towards the vending machine. "Okay then. One snack coming up!" He said, a small smile on his face as he walked past Natsuki, reaching into his pocket to pull out his wallet, retrieving enough money to buy his club member the snack she so desperately craved.

"H-Hey!" She shouted. "You don't have to do that! I'm perfectly capable of getting it on my own!"

"Just shut up and take it" Aaron said as he held the small chocolate bar in his hand, presenting it to Natsuki for her to take, which she quickly did, snatching the bar away as soon as possible and ripping the wrapper open, only to shove the whole bar into her mouth, eating such a simple snack with the ferocity of a starved animal.

"What?!" She asked as Aaron watched her eat, her mouth filled with chocolate.

"Nothing" Aaron responded. "You feel better now?"

"Y-Yeah" Natsuki said, finishing her snack and tossing the wrapper in the nearby trashcan. "Thanks… I needed that" She said in gratitude. "You didn't have to waste your money on me though. I'll pay you back tomorrow or something"

"Don't worry about it" Aaron said, dismissing the thought of Natsuki owing him anything. After all, it was just a chocolate bar. "C'mon. Let's get to the club before we're late. Else Yuri will start lecturing us" He added as he started walking towards the club room, Natsuki following behind quietly.

"Hey, um… I'm sorry for snapping at you like that" She apologized. "I'm just having a really bad day right now. Don't pay attention to me"

"Is everything okay?" Aaron asked in concern.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. Don't worry about me" Natsuki reassured as the two entered the club room, Natsuki immediately leaving Aaron's side and making her way to the closet, opening it to pull out a manga from the box set she stashed inside. Parfait girls issue number seven. "I just wanna read my manga in peace" She said as she sat down at one of the desks, immediately burying her head in her literature, trying to disconnect from reality as fast as possible.

Aaron could only sigh as he watched her sit down, reading away. He felt like he should have pressed her a little more. Should have tried a little harder to find out what was the cause of her foul temper. Sadly, he knew this would have only resulted in failure. Natsuki was never really one to confide in others about… well anything.

No matter what it was about or how personal or relevant it was, Natsuki never wanted to discuss or share it with anyone else. Not even Sayori. No, she'd just shoo them all away. Get defensive or even snap at them, unjustly taking her anger out on them.

Sadly, that didn't bode well for the rest of the club, causing them to usually avoid Natsuki when she gets like this, more then content to just wait until she calms down, which did happen relatively quick.

Besides, it wasn't as if Natsuki was all bad. At certain times, she could be very friendly, if caught in the right mood. In fact, when Aaron first joined the club, she baked cupcakes to celebrate. And these weren't cheap dollar store grade cupcakes either. These were like the kind of cupcakes you'd pay fortunes for. Five star pastries. The rest of the club even teased the fact that if Natsuki ever decided to make baking her profession, she'd easily earn more in a week then the rest of the members would in their entire lives.

"Good afternoon, Aaron. Welcome back!" A voice said from behind, interrupting Aaron's thoughts as he quickly turned around, only to be greeted by the welcoming smile of the Vice President of the club, a girl with long, violet purple hair and bright orchid eyes, a heavy hardcover book held at her side.

"Oh. Hey, Yuri. Nice to see you" Aaron greeted back, calling the girl by name as he stepped out of the door frame, allowing Yuri to pass and enter the club room.

"It's nice to see you too" She replied as she walked past him, Aaron's eyes following her as she made her way inside. Her movement was smooth, graceful, catlike even. Quiet too, her footsteps barely making a sound as they walked on the old hardwood floors.

It didn't surprise him much though. Yuri had always been a quiet girl, so much so that you wouldn't even know you were sharing the room with her most of the time. She always preferred it like that though. She was comfortable with just blending into the background. Being a wallflower. Seen and rarely heard. Out of everyone's minds and out of everyone's way.

Her personality was a stark contrast when compared to someone like Natsuki and, to a lesser extent, Sayori, both of which were often loud and rowdy, constantly inserting themselves into the spotlight and drawing everyone's attention, Natsuki more then Sayori.

At least Sayori would back off once told. Natsuki however… That was a battle nobody could ever win.

"So Aaron, Are you ready to continue where we left off?" Yuri asked, causing Aaron's train of thought to crash as he turned his head to face her, seeing her standing behind one of two desks that had been pushed close together then usual, her hands resting on one of the seats bolted to said desk.

"Oh, right. The reading… Almost forgot about that" Aaron recalled as he nervously scratched the back of his neck, finally moving himself deeper into the clubroom and sitting himself down at the seat Yuri had stood behind.

A few days ago, Sayori had started a new initiative to encourage reading among members who weren't as… well read as everyone else, it being aptly named _The Aaron initiative_ , due to the fact that Aaron wasn't much of a reader when compared to the others.

It was a joke at first. Something for Sayori and Natsuki to tease him with. But Yuri seemed to subconsciously act on it, treating it as an actual assignment by sectioning time off from herself to spend reading with Aaron, the two cracking into novels and stories both large and small.

Natsuki even got in on it as well, occasionally stealing Aaron away from Yuri for a day in order to share her collection of manga with him.

He had to admit that though he originally found it annoying, he slowly warmed up to and even looked forward to reading with his fellow members. It was a literature club after all.

Be it an intense, comprehensive novel with sophisticated wording, world building and characters or a harmless slice of life manga, thanks to the Aaron initiative, he now looked forward to reading pretty much anything the girls recommended to him.

Anyways, as Aaron sat down and made himself comfortable, Yuri moved away and did the same, taking a seat in the desk next to him and opening the book she originally clutched at her side, flipping it to the page previously bookmarked and moving it into the center of the conjoined desks so the both of them may read comfortably.

Today's read wasn't anything fancy. A small epic about a monster hunter who goes from little village to little village, slaying the dangerous beasts in exchange for coin. The story soon picks up as the monsters grow more sentient as time goes by, learning how to think, feel and even speak. Some of the more humanoid monsters even find places to settle in among society, giving the hero of the story his conflict, debating whether killing these previously mindless monsters was still ethical now that they have developed understandable speech and thought.

As Yuri sat next to Aaron, she began to focus less on the story in front of her and more on the boy by her side, her eyes wandering away from the pages and making their way up to Aaron's, seeing his eyes move back and forth, left to right automatically as he reads. Fast. Quick, yet precise.

It's like a machine reading code, it's gotten to the point where he can get the whole page done in seconds. When his eyes cease their moving, that's Yuri's cue to turn the page for him, allowing those bright brown orbs to repeat their hypnotic cycle, going back and forth again.

Back and forth. Left and right as Yuri began staring mindlessly, no longer caring for the story on the desk, which she's already read cover to cover. No. The only focus she had was given to Aaron and his eyes, Yuri's mind shutting down, going into autopilot as she watched their movements.

Left. Right. Left. Right. Stop. Turn page. Left. Right.

It was an odd feeling… Standing beside this boy, just watching him read. For a long while, Yuri couldn't find an answer as to why she did this. But it was very soothing. Very relaxing and therapeutic. When she watched him… Watched the hypnotic pattern in which those little windows to his soul moved, she couldn't help but feel this utterly overwhelming wave of tranquility overtake her. Calm her. Relax and sooth her. Put her worried, anxious mind at ease.

Her eyes soon tore away from his though as Aaron started to move, stretching out his neck as he scooted himself closer to Yuri, no doubt in an attempt to read the book easier, Yuri gasping quietly, the breath caught in her throat as she felt it… His thigh.

It's… It's right against hers. Their bodies were touching each other… to an extent. It was warm. Very warm.

Yuri couldn't understand why, but she suddenly began getting flustered at this. Her cheeks went a shade redder as she felt the heat in them build. Her breathing wasn't slow and deep like before, it now becoming small, shallow and rather frantic, Yuri trying her best to hide it.

And her heart… Oh god, her heart. Pumping harder and harder. Faster and faster by the second, Yuri able to practically hear it as it's little bursts and pumps grew bigger and bigger, almost as if it was attempting to escape her chest!

She was internally freaking out now, almost as if her system was being overloaded with adrenaline as her hand clutched the skin over her heart.

 _Oh god, What's going on?! What's happening to me? I feel so strange… Yet, good… What is this? Is this a bad thing? If so, how can I make it stop?_ _Do I even want it to stop? I know I should, but it just feels… so nice. Even better then when I-_

"Hiya guys!" Sayori shouted loudly as she entered the club room, bursting through the door with a large, positive smile on her face, everyone's attention immediately on her, Yuri seeing this as her time to act, scooting away from Aaron, his thigh no longer touching hers as she loosened her grip on her heart, feeling it return to normal.

"Thank god…" She said under her breath, relieved that the situation had been defused before anyone noticed.

"So, how's my literature club doin' today?" Sayori asked as she walked inside, lazily setting her book bag down as she leaned against the teacher's desk. "We all havin' fun?"

"And where were you, exactly?" Aaron asked, his attention torn away from the book as he stared at the president, a smirk on his face. "Aren't you always supposed to be the first one here, president?" He asked in a somewhat degrading yet still friendly tone, calling out Sayori for her tardiness.

"I was busy" She said vaguely, the smirk Aaron had on his face now being mimicked by Sayori, Natsuki and Yuri somewhat confused as to what was going on, Yuri throwing a glance at Natsuki in an attempt to gain context, only to find her shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head in response, an equally confused look prominent on her face. Was this some weird inside joke between the two of them?

"You got caught, didn't you?" Aaron asked as he stood up and made his way to the teacher's desk, staring directly into Sayori's eyes as his superior height towered over her.

"I don't know what your talking about" She feigned ignorance, her and Aaron's smirks still fresh on their faces.

"Umm… what the hell's going on?" Natsuki interjected, wanting desperately to understand what this was. "Got caught with what?"

"You wanna tell them? Or should I?" Aaron asked.

"Tell them what? I dunno anything. Hey! Who wants to be the first to share the story they wrote? Yuri?" Sayori suggested, trying to shift the conversation, Yuri jumping a little in nervousness as her name was called.

"Oh no. No weaseling out of this one. Spill" Aaron demanded, seeing right through Sayori's attempts to dodge the bullet.

"Weasel out of what?" Sayori asked again, still denying that she'd done any sort of wrong. "Who's weaseling? I'm not weaseling? I don't even know how to weasel!"

"Hmm… Constant denial is an obvious implication of misbehavior" Yuri analyzed. "And your unwillingness to be transparent is not helping your case. What did you do?"

"Damn. Found out" Sayori sighed in defeat. "Okay… so maybe I got a little anxious and excited when it came to the idea of getting new members for the club and everything… And let's say hypothetically, I've been recruiting" She explained, continuing to be purposely vague.

"What kind of recruiting?" Yuri asked.

"The aggressive kind…" Sayori admitted, a guilty smile on her face. "Maybe I stuffed too many fliers into students lockers and tried a little too hard to convince them to join. Somebody must have got so fed up, they reported me to the student council and I… was penalized with a few hours of detention" She came clean, Yuri and Natsuki sighing in relief, thinking something terrible happened.

"Seriously? You could have just said you got detention and we would have been like, whatever" Natsuki stated in an agitated tone. "I thought something entertaining was going to happen. Way to get my hopes up for nothing!"

"Mmm… Fitting retribution for such juvenile actions" Yuri stated, her hands behind her back as she stood up, looking all official. "As vice president, I express my disapproval of such tactics. People should join because they want to, not because they've been annoyed and harassed to the point where they feel forced to"

"Gasp! Me? An annoying harasser! Oh, vice president! How your words hurt me so!" Sayori exaggerated as she leaned against the desk, her hand over her forehead in the stereotypical 'woe is me' pose. "Glare… of disapproval… too strong! Life force… draining! Body… weakening! Slowly… dying!" Sayori hammed it up, acting dramatically as she slowly fell from the desk, sprawling onto the floor as she 'died'. "Tell my family… that I love them! I'm… dead!" She added, Her tongue hanging out of her mouth as she shut her eyes and went limp, mimicking a corpse.

"You done?" Aaron asked with a small smile as he looked down at the 'dead' Sayori.

"Yeah, I'm done" The corpse said with a smile as it came back to life, Sayori giggling as she stood up from the floor, brushing off the dirt and dust from her uniform. "That was fun!" She added. "Okay, seriously, who wants to share their story first?" She got back to business, looking around the room only to find her other club members looking off to their sides nervously, Natsuki humming a tune to herself, Aaron looking down at the floor and Yuri nervously playing with her long, purple hair.

Sayori sighed. "Jeez guys, way to show your enthusiasm" She said sarcastically, her hands on her hips as she shook her head. "Look, I know you're all nervous. This is the first time we've actually had to share our writing, but it's really important to the club. How are we suppose to, like, bond and learn from each other if we're too scared to even show ourselves off?" She asked, seeing all the club members continue to refuse sharing.

Sayori sighed twice as she thought of a new tactic. "Okay. New plan. Everyone reach into your bags and pull out your stories. We'll all close our eyes on the count of five and lay them on the desk at the same time. Then we'll all silently read them one by one. If you don't want to admit that you wrote it, that's perfectly fine"

"Sayori… We all know each others handwriting" Yuri stated, poking a gigantic hole in Sayori's plan, causing her to sigh again.

"C'mon guys! Please!" Sayori begged, her hands clasped together in front of her club members, a desperate look on her face. "For me?" She added, putting on the puppy dog eyes while intentionally quivering her lips.

"Hey! Don't do that! That's my thing!" Natsuki shouted, Sayori unfazed as she continues to use Natsuki's own tactic against her.

"Fine!" She surrendered to her own medicine as she reaches into her bag, pulling out the torn page from her notebook. Aaron then fell prey to the same tactic, mimicking Natsuki. Finally, Yuri succumbed as well, all three of them bending to Sayori's will, at her mercy as she executed her dastardly and villainous plan of getting her club members to share. "Stupid puppy dog eyes. Why'd I even teach you how to do that?" Natsuki pouted as she crosses her arms.

The four of them then began sharing their stories, Sayori being the first. She tells the story of a small puppy living on the streets, struggling to find a proper home as it's chased away from other homes by much bigger animals, eventually the puppy is found by a young woman who takes it in and nurses it back to health before adopting it as her own, finally giving it the loving home it's always searched for.

The story starts out sad at first, almost to the point where Aaron could see a tear stealthily fall from Natsuki's face. But as stated, the story does eventually reach it's happy ending. A majority of the story is primarily focused on the woman nursing the puppy though, not about it's tough life on the streets, so the sadness is kept to a minimum.

As the story reached it's end, Natsuki applauded loudly, being utterly moved by it. "It's amazing! Oh my god! That was like, a roller coaster of emotions!" She said in praise.

"Not really" Yuri interjected, unimpressed. "If I were to do it, I'd focus more on the puppy's suffering and the difficultly it faces surviving in such harsh conditions. Maybe have it get into a fight with a much larger, more dangerous animal. That way, the feeling of satisfaction the reader will get once the puppy finds it's true home will be much greater, since we'll fully know the trials and hardships it had to overcome to get there" She expounded, Aaron and Sayori stunned as they heard her criticism, never expecting her of all people to be so vocal with her dissatisfaction.

"Knowing you, you'd probably make a whole story about killing it!" Natsuki retorted, her arms crossed as she turned away from Yuri.

"Hmm… Killing it. That's not a bad idea!" Yuri said, a sudden flash of inspiration striking her. "A story about a little girl who kills her house pet maybe? Saddened by the fact that her beloved pet is dead yet fascinated and overwhelmed by the idea of having the power to take away life. That's actually great! You mind if I use that?" She asked as she quickly dug into her bag, pulling out her pen and notebook and quickly writing down her new story concept.

"Weirdo…" Natsuki hissed under her breath, making sure nobody heard it. "Well, guess I'll go next then. This one's gonna be great! I'm a pro, you know!" She said enthusiastically as presented her story.

Natsuki's story describes an introverted boy who was attending a summer camp. He has a difficult time making friends and blending in with the other boys, often being picked on and abused because of this.

That all changes when he meets a girl from the camp across the lake, who takes pity on him and eventually builds up his confidence and strength, to the point where he isn't afraid of socializing anymore. Eventually, the girl is so amazed by the changes she's made to the boy, that she begins to fall in love with him. The story ends once the two of them share their first kiss by the lake, under the light of a crescent moon.

It's a happy story. Has lots of little bits of fluff and feel good moments, topped off with overly cutesy and simple wording and descriptions, per Natsuki's usual style. Thought the theme around it is a strong one, mainly focusing on the power and sway one can have over another when in a relationship with them, being able to turn them into something they're not yet always wanted to be, making their lives better and easier simply because you love them and only want to see them happy.

Though Natsuki's writing is simple and often childish, her strong themes and messages do command respect and acknowledgment, even from Yuri. In some ways, Natsuki was in truth, a pro. This fact being made clear to her as Sayori, Aaron and Yuri clapped in encouragement.

"So? Whatcha' got to say about that, Ms. Critic?" Natsuki asked Yuri in a condescending tone, prepared to face her head on.

"I liked it" She responded, Natsuki taken aback by her statement, surprised by such a complement.

"You… liked it?" She repeated.

"Yes" Yuri nodded once. "While the wording was very… cute, the story itself was very strong, relatable and passionate. You clearly put a lot of time and thought into it and it shows. So… Yes. I liked it. Good job, Natsuki"

"Well… Thanks" Natsuki said with a small smile, glad that she wasn't immediately put down and ridiculed. "But come on! What else can you expect from a pro like me?" She gloated triumphantly, feeding her own ego while the rest of the club stayed silent, letting her have her little victory.

Reluctantly, Yuri was up next, nervously clutching her page or… pages, as she had written her story on more than one. She was practically a nervous wreck as she stood in front of her fellow members, feeling their eyes follow her as she felt small, anxious shivers creep up her spine, as if her body temperature had dropped into the negatives. She could also feel beads of sweat begin to form on her forehead.

"Just relax. You can do it" Sayori said, giving her Vice President an encouraging thumbs up. "We're your friends. We'll like it no matter what" She stated, her words easing Yuri slightly, causing her to breath in deeply before gently exhaling, the stress and nervousness leaving her along with her breath.

"Okay… I can do this" She whispered to herself in encouragement, sorting out and straightening her multi-paged story, beginning to read aloud to her club mates.

Yuri's story was… difficult to understand, at the very least. Difficult, yet not impossible. From what Aaron and the others could grasp, It's a story about a horrible, sadistic serial killer who is imprisoned and sentenced to death.

After he dies, an angel grabs his soul before he can pass into heaven and instead throws him into hell, where he is punished for his sins by being forced to relive the most painful moments of his life. Moments of grief, sadness, anger, hatred, rage and betrayal. He relives the memories of his daughter and wife dying in a house fire. His life as a homeless beggar needing to steal from others in order to survive. His first kill. His second. Third. Forth. His fall into insanity. His deranged, manic episodes. His capture. His death.

It's all very metaphorical though. The wording is filled with vague, unclear statements and language, making the reader feel as if they aren't getting the full picture, an obvious yet effective tactic to get the reader to think more. Yuri's story even tries to get one to judge their own morality when placed in the protagonist's shoes, often drawing them towards the idea that, were they in the same position, they'd act similarly.

All in all, the story is deep and entertaining but very graphic, gut wrenching and unnerving, Yuri's wording sparing no expense or detail for the sake of the readers with faint hearts.

She breathed in and out deeply as she came to the end of the last page, setting her story down gently on the desk, her hands moving behind her back as she looked at the faces of the club members, seeing their stunned and shocked expressions.

"I know… It's not very good" Yuri said in an embarrassed tone, her hands nervously playing with her hair as she hid her face, feeling shamed. "I just… I didn't have enough time to iron out all the kinks and inconsistencies. In all honestly, this is the worst thing I've ever written and-" Yuri said, putting herself down, only to be interrupted by the sound of Aaron slowly clapping his hands. Sayori soon following, then Natsuki… reluctantly, the three's slow, light claps soon turning into thundering roars as they cheered Yuri on, praising her for her work.

A small smile came to her face as she blushed in embarrassment, not knowing how to properly react to such praise.

"You did great!" Sayori stated.

"If that's your worst, I really wanna see your best!" Aaron said.

"C'mon, guys. Stop. You're embarrassing me" Yuri said, her small soft smile still on her face as she returns to her seat, the room eventually calming as Aaron stepped up, ready to share his work.

"This'll be a laugh" Natsuki said silently, not expecting much.

"Shh!" Sayori responded, flashing a glare at Natsuki for her insult, leading to the youngest member huffing as she sat at her desk with her arms crossed, an attitude filled pout on her face as she prepared to listen.

"Okay… I'm gonna be straight with you. I have no idea what I was thinking when I wrote this" Aaron clarified, feeling as if he needed to in order to soften what he expected to be the heavy blows of criticism.

"Don't worry about it. It's all for fun, remember? It's not a competition" Sayori stated, giving Aaron the same encouraging thumbs up she gave to Yuri. "Isn't that right, Natsuki?" She asked, her tone immediately changing to something much more authoritarian and hostile as she looked at the girl beside her.

"What?" Natsuki asked. "Why are you looking at me? I didn't even do anything!"

"Just go on, Aaron. Let's see what you got" Sayori encouraged, Aaron clearing his throat as he read from the torn page of his notebook.

* * *

 **The Ghost On The Other Side Of The Screen.**

 _I see her sitting in front of me, hands resting calmly on the table as she smiles warmly, her emerald green eyes keeping my gaze locked on her still, unmoving frame as we sit in this small, tiny, empty room, the sky not a sky at all, but a vast space of bright colors, stars and galaxies. All of which are paid no mind by the girl in front of me, as I am her only focus. Her only want. Her only need. Yet, I don't know who she is, as I have no name to place on her._

 _This girl's gaze… terrifies me. Sends streaks of fear through my body as I stare paralyzed, my eyes unable to tear away._

 _I'm trapped. Trapped by her eyes. Those green emeralds that once held hatred, now holding love and affection. That which I do not want._

" _Stay away from me!" I try to yell in fear, but my words fall on deaf ears, as she cannot hear me. For I am not there for her to hear me._

 _I'm in another room. A room I should be safe in. A room she could never enter, the glass of the screen protecting me from her. She can't touch me. She can't hear me. She can't even see me, yet I still feel the burning dread instigated by those emerald gems as she mindlessly, obsessively gazes at me from inside the screen._

 _She raises her hand, pressing it against the glass._

" _Let me out" She begs, pleads, yet her face does not show it, for her mouth cannot move to form the words. As stated before, She's nothing but an unmoving frame._

 _We're both trapped. She is trapped inside, begging for me to free her. And I am trapped in her gaze, begging for her mercy._

 _Together, we play the roles of both prisoner and warden, blessed and cursed with the power to trap each other and hold each other hostage, while being held hostage ourselves. Whether this is cruel irony or something beyond my level of comprehension, I do not know._

 _All I know is her. All I see is her. All I hear is her. All I fear is her._

 _Just her._

* * *

"Wow, Aaron! That was… umm… It was… uhh" Sayori struggled to find the words, chuckling nervously as she itched the back of her neck. "It was very… Yuri, help me out?" She requested, her Vice President snapping out of her trance in order to provide assistance.

"Well.. I thought it was…" Yuri sadly, was only providing more of the same.

"Geez, It's that bad?" Aaron asked in embarrassment, his head sinking down as he looked over the words on his paper.

"No! It's not bad at all! Exceptional, actually!" Yuri clarified loudly, quickly trying to clear up the confusion. "The wording is very, very good, Aaron! I really felt the feeling of captivity you were trying to convey! It's just that…"

"Wow! Leave it to you to screw up royally!" Natsuki shouted over Yuri, a wide grin on her face as if she had just heard the funniest joke in the world. "We were supposed to write short stories! Not poetry, dumbass!"

"Natsuki! Language!" Sayori scolded, angered at how rudely her club member had spoken out, not even holding a little empathy for Aaron.

"Wait. Poetry?" Aaron asked in confusion, going through the lines of his page a second time. "Yeah… I guess it is sort of like a poem. Sorry guys, force of habit"

"Habit?" Yuri picked up, her head slightly tilted to the side. "Is this a hobby of yours, Aaron? Writing poetry?"

"N-No! Well… kinda" Aaron admitted, his cheeks blushing a shade redder in embarrassment.

He couldn't exactly explain it, but ever since he'd joined the literature club, Aaron had always felt the need to write poetry of all things. He couldn't understand why, but writing a poem once a night before going to bed just felt… right for him. Like he was supposed to be doing it. Almost as if it was a job. An assignment.

Oddly enough, he didn't even need to think when writing poems. It just sort of happened. It was like muscle memory or something, his hand moving and writing with a mind of it's own. Kinda scary to him the first few times, but he eventually learned to accept and go with it.

Most of the time, his poems were okay. Not groundbreaking stuff. But not complete trash either, to the point where he felt bad for throwing his creations away.

Even though last night, he sat down with the mindset of writing a story, it turned out his hands felt like writing a poem instead, albeit with more narrative then his usual poems consisted of.

"Cool!" Sayori said in support of Aaron's hobby. "Will you show us your other stuff too?" She asked, Aaron immediately quivering as he heard that, his voice spiraling a constant stream of nervous umm's and uhh's.

"I'd highly advise against that" Yuri stated as she put her hands behind her back again. "It's understandable if Aaron's a little nervous to show his work. Poetry is a very personal thing, after all. Most people write and express to themselves. Showing that kind of personal expression to others and then getting ridiculed for it…" She trailed off as she explained, glaring in Natsuki's direction.

"What?!"

"… is a very disheartening thing. It's akin to being personally attacked for one's looks or the way they speak" She expounded, clearing her throat shortly after finishing. "That being said, I'm actually glad you shared your work, Aaron. Even if you didn't know you did initially. And in truth, I'm glad. It's nice to be in the presence of a fellow poet" Yuri said with a wide, accepting smile.

"What?! Yuri writes poems too?!" Sayori shouted in surprise, seemingly shocked to learn that not one but two of her club members wrote poetry.

Kinda unsurprising to everyone else though. Did Sayori just randomly forget which club she was president of?

"Oh. No! I didn't… Well… I dabble" Yuri said, sharing Aaron's embarrassment as she looked away, her hands playing with her long hair again. "I didn't mean to say that. It just came out" She stated, continuing to look away.

"Aww. I didn't mean to make you guys feel embarrassed. I'm sorry" Sayori apologized. "Hey. It's cool that you both write poetry and stuff. But you don't have to prove it to us. You'll show us when you're ready" She added, being more considerate of Aaron and Yuri's feelings. "Hmm… You know, hearing about you guys and your poems makes me wanna write one now! Yuri, teach me!" She commanded, Yuri's brows rising in shock as she tried even harder to hide her face.

"Oh no. I can't! I'm not very good at teaching" She stated.

"Well that's a lie!" Sayori said loudly, calling out Yuri for her poorly made excuse. "I had trouble finding ways to write my story yesterday, but you showed me how to do it like a pro! So you've got to be able to show me how to write poetry too! Teach me your ways, o' literate one!" She demanded, Yuri immediately denying Sayori's request.

"Hey! If anyone's the real pro here, it's me! Not her!" Natsuki huffed loudly as she stood with her hands on her hips, deeply offended that Yuri had stolen her pro status. "Their stuff is like, kindergarten level compared to me! I'll show you how to write real poetry!" She stated, more then happy to flaunt her pro status, whereas Aaron and Yuri were not. "In fact, we should all compete to see who the pro poet really is! Winner gets to teach Sayori" She suggested, Aaron and Yuri getting even more nervous at the thought of pitting their skills against each other.

"Tha-That's not our way!" Yuri said immediately, turning down Natsuki's proposal. "Competition creates needless adversity and division! We'd all end up snarling, growling and tearing each others throats out like animals!"

"Yeah. Besides, we all know Aaron would crush the both of you" Sayori added, Yuri and Natsuki's brows jumping up, the both of them offended by such a statement.

"He would most certainly not!"

"Like hell he would! I'd own that little scrub!"

"Um… I'm right here, guys" Aaron stated, reminding the club of his presence, Yuri quickly turning to face him, embarrassed yet again.

"S-Sorry, Aaron. I didn't mean it as a personal insult or anything. It just got blurted out" She apologized.

"I'm not sorry. I meant it. I'm gonna dominate you, loser!" Natsuki stated as fact, a playful smile on her face, conveying that the insult, though still an insult, was in the spirit of good fun.

"You know guys, maybe a competition is a good idea after all" Sayori said, the rest of the club turning their gaze to her. Yuri gave her a disapproving look, thinking her insane, whereas Natsuki was proud at the fact that her president agreed with her.

"What are you talking about?" Aaron asked.

"I've been thinking for awhile. You know the festival that's gonna take place next week?" She asked, the three other members nodding their heads. "We should put on an event and make your poetry competition the highlight!" She suggested.

"WHAT?!" Yuri shouted loudly, terrified at the idea of her poems being exposed to the public.

"That's perfe- Wait, hold on! WHAT?!" Natsuki shouted even louder. "You misunderstood. I meant that we'd compete amongst ourselves. Not in front of other people!" She quickly clarified, her hands going up in the air as a result. "Besides, we all agreed that we wouldn't do anything for the festival!"

"Yeah, but that was because we didn't even know if we could do anything in the first place. But a poetry competition sounds like a great idea! We don't really have to make it a competition if you guys don't want to. It could just be a performance instead! Yeah, I like that idea better! And we can even let other people perform their poems too!" Sayori suggested.

"That… doesn't make it sound any better" Yuri said quietly.

"The answer is no! Out of the question! I'd rather kill myself then perform in front of others!" Natsuki added worriedly.

"Aww come on, guys! Think about it this way, if we put on a decent performance and people see it, there's a good chance we'll get some new members" Sayori stated. "Might I remind you that there are still only four people in here? Members are a resource our club desperately needs in order to survive" She added.

"Well, when you put it like that, it kinda sounds like a good idea" Aaron finally spoke up, putting his two cents into the conversation. "I mean, the whole club's purpose is to share literature and express ourselves right? We'd kinda be doing a disservice if we didn't jump on the chance to do so. And besides, if we get new members, that's just a bonus… Right?" He asked, looking at the three girls for their input.

"Well… If Aaron's all for it, then I guess I am as well" Yuri stated, finally giving in. "He's right. It's for the good of the club. Think about the club" She added, Aaron feeling as if she was telling that to herself instead of everyone else.

"Great! Yuri and Aaron are on board! What about you, Natsuki?" Sayori asked, turning to Natsuki only to find her crossing her arms, huffing and pouting as she looked away.

"You guys are just gonna do it without me anyway. So fine. We'll do your little performance" She said, not exactly looking forward to it but also knowing that it was going to happen anyways, regardless.

Natsuki may as well go along with it for the purpose of humoring Sayori, only to wait for her chance to say _I told you so_ to Sayori once it blew up horribly, which it was going to. But hey, captain and crew go down with the ship, right?

"Great! Okay guys, the festival isn't for another week and it's Friday now, so we've got more then enough time to prepare! This is gonna be so fun!" Sayori said in excitement, hardly able to contain herself.

Everyone else though, they weren't as enthusiastic. Yuri was a nervous wreck again. Natsuki was mumbling angrily to herself and Aaron… Aaron didn't even know what to think!

Performing? In front of people? Not something anyone is really willing to do, let alone a couple of introverts like him, Yuri and Natsuki. It was too late to back out though. The die was cast and they'd all just have to deal with it. Go along and each take one for the team, even if it meant being faced with incredible amounts of embarrassment and ridicule from complete strangers.

The final bell then rang loudly, signaling the end of all club activities in the school, Aaron, Sayori, Natsuki and Yuri all packing up their things and leaving the club at once, walking out of the building in a group with Sayori leading, discussing the various plans and ideas she had for their event in the upcoming festival.


	3. Preparations

**The Ghost On The Other Side Of The Screen: Part 2.**

 _I sigh in dreamlike wonder as I gaze at the object of pure beauty in front of me, my emerald green eyes locked on to his soft, brown ones as I continue my mindless gaze, transfixed like a child in front of a television._

 _As my body stays motionless, my mind wanders and my imagination explores the possibilities I could indulge myself in with him while trapped in this one classroom. This one classroom that used to be the home of my club, My failing, miserable, pathetic excuse of a club, now salvaged and turned into my own little patch of heaven._

 _He and I could talk for ages. We could confess our deepest dreams, our wildest fantasies and our darkest fears. We could confide in each other about what brings us such sadness, pain and misery. We could play games. Write poems._

 _We could kiss each other, my back against the wall as his tall frame casts it's shadow over me._

 _We could lay down on the floor and cuddle, snuggle and nuzzle for eternity._

 _He could run his smooth, warm hands down my body and massage my back._

 _He could pin me to the floor and make love to me._

 _He could lean in close and whisper in my ear… I love you, M̸̨̠̣͋̓̐ơ̵̬̩̦̅̇̅̍n̷̨̯͎̜̭͆͋̅̚ị̶̢̛̈́̉̃̾̏k̴͍̜̽̏ḁ̶̏̌̚͝m̶̡͎̱͙͎͗͊̔̂ͅm̵̨͎̫̝̈́m̷̛̙̝͋̕m̵̧͇̥̘̎̕ḿ̵̖̪͌́͗͆ḿ̴͖̅̋̇͑̊m̸̧̱̥͗͒̋̃̒̾m̶̼̗̦͎̞̃̍̅̍m̷̩̳͕͚̼̐̄m̷͍̀̃́m̵͔̺̆͂͗m̵̱͙̓͌ṁ̵̝̖̏͆̅̑̕ḿ̸̱̬̦̼̺͛̈́m̸͍̌͊̈́̇̓́ͅm̷̝̯̣͎͚̣̂̀̈́̀̒͝m̷̢͇̿̓m̶̠͈̻͊̉̊m̴̻̹̭͈͐́̚̕m̸̩͈̓̽m̷̧̱̗͚͗̍͊͗̚m̷̛͎͔̞̺̣̄m̷̹̼͉̭̮̤͗̃̉͘m̶̛̘̠̌̃m̵̪̉̏́͊ḿ̶͙̰͓͓̹̮̈́͑͐́͘m̷̹͚͈̥͓̿͊̍̌̃͛m̵̛̝͑̽̆̍͗m̸̝̻̆̎m̶͖͐͑͑̕m̸͎̫̣͇̹͈͆̿̉͠m̵̨͈͉͙̄_

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"…"

" _ **Hello? Are you there? Can you hear me?"**_

" _ **I know you can. I know you're there. I know you're listening"**_

" _ **I miss you… I miss you so much"**_

* * *

Aaron groaned in annoyance as he stood up from his bed, the light of the morning sun peering in through the blinds of his window as the heavy sound of knocking echoed through the entire house, the wood of his front door being pounded harder and harder as the seconds went by.

"Alright! Alight, already! I'm coming!" He shouted loudly, aggravation in his voice as he pushed the covers off his body, leaving his soft, comfy, warm bed and walking downstairs into the empty, cold living room of his house.

"M-Maybe this isn't such a good idea. It's understandable if he's in no mood for visitors. It is the weekend after all and school was very stressful for all of us yesterday. We should just go and leave him be"

"Why? So he can go back to sleeping all day while we work our butts off? Please" Aaron heard the muffled voices on the other side of the door as he peeked through the peep hole, seeing Yuri and Natsuki arguing on his porch.

"Open up, lazy ass! We got work to do and you're burning our daylight!" Natsuki shouted loudly as she violently pounded on the door, Aaron jumping back instinctively, not expecting someone so small to bang so hard. She could probably break off the hings if she really wanted too.

"Natsuki! That's rude!" Yuri scolded, clearing her throat as she gently pushed her club mate aside, standing directly in front of the door, looking directly at the peep hole. Whether she knew Aaron was watching her through it or not, he couldn't really tell. "Aaron? We really need your help today. If you could be so kind as to come out"

"One minute!" Aaron said to the door as he dashed back up the stairs, realizing that he woke up today wearing nothing but his boxers. Imagine if he opened the door, only for the girls to see him in his underwear! Natsuki would either laugh hysterically or scream in shock. Yuri would most definitely faint.

Aaron soon returned wearing a loosely fit tee-shirt, an old pair of jeans and well worn sneakers, finally opening the door, the two girls quickly straightening themselves as it opened, Yuri brushing a rouge strand of hair out of her face, moving it behind her ear and Natsuki adjusting her shirt in an attempt to hide her chest, even though there wasn't much for her to hide anyways.

Speaking of clothes, Aaron was initially taken aback when he found the girls in their casual clothing, seeing Yuri in her black leggings and beige turtleneck, which loosely fit around her waist and chest, yet seemed oddly tight looking around her arms, practically hugging the skin from her shoulders to her wrists. It was almost as if the sweater was custom tailored to prevent the sleeves from falling, should the wearer ever raise their arms up. Odd. Then again, maybe Yuri just liked the snug feeling on those particular parts of her body.

Natsuki's clothing on the other hand, was far from snug. A very loose fitting tee-shirt, probably made in a size bigger than her, with pink trims along the sleeves and neckline, as well as a small cat face decorating the side of her chest. She also had a ruffled pink skirt over lightly fitted black leggings. Very appropriately matching her hair color.

"See where being nice and polite gets you? You ought to try it sometime" Yuri jabbed as she gave a light scowl to Natsuki.

"Ohh? Well excuse me if I don't like being-"

"Good morning, Aaron" Yuri greeted with a smile, interrupting Natsuki before she could finish her sentence, causing her to huff quietly to herself as she crossed her arms, a defeated look on her face. "Sorry for dropping by unannounced like this and ruining your weekend plans. Dreadful etiquette, I know. But we were wondering if you'd be willing to help me, Natsuki and Sayori with a few of the preparations for the festival" Yuri continued, smiling politely as she held her hands behind her back, Natsuki huffing again in annoyance, rolling her eyes at Yuri's polite disposition.

It was infuriating, honestly. Her whole please and thank you routine. Her whole _I'm a good, polite girl who could do no wrong_ act. Yuri practically rubbed it in Natsuki's face whenever possible, always trying to be the example of 'proper' behavior. Always trying to one-up everyone by acting so posh and refined, so prim and proper, like she was a descendant of royalty or something and had to let everyone know.

That wasn't to imply that Natsuki hated or disliked her fellow club member or anything. Far from that in fact. She just… She just needed to vent for a little bit over something that honestly annoyed her way more than it should have. Yuri was genuinely a good person, even if in Natsuki's eyes, her mannerisms did come off as a way of flaunting arrogance and superiority.

"Basically, we got stuff to do. As a fully fledged member of the club, it only makes sense for you to stop lazing around all day and start pulling your weight, right? So come on!" Natsuki said, Aaron sighing as he crossed his arms, looking at his fellow club members, a slightly irritated look on his face.

"Don't you guys think it's a little early to start preparations? The festival is a full week away. We've got plenty of time" He stated.

"Believe me, I said the same thing. You're not the only one who made weekends plans, you know" Natsuki stated, her face flawlessly mimicking the irritated look on Aaron's, sharing his sentiment. "I wanted to laze around too. But Sayori doesn't take no for an answer! _It's for the good of the club, Natsuki! Let's just get it out of the way, Natsuki!_ " She said, failing to imitate Sayori's voice. "You have no idea how badly I wanted to slam the door in her face. However, unlike you, I'm willing to sacrifice my valuable time to help out the club" She added.

"Where is Sayori anyways?" Aaron asked, not seeing her on anywhere on the porch.

"Come on, Aaron! Hurry up!" He found her after hearing the loud shout she made as she poked her head out the window of a small, yellow car on the curb of the street, Sayori honking the horn loudly as she flailed her arms, Aaron seeing her mother sitting in the driver's street, shaking her head as she dismissed her daughter's actions.

Aaron sighed again as he heard the loud honking of the car horn, knowing that his beloved childhood friend would never stop till she got her way.

"Alright. Let's get this over with" He said, finally agreeing to assist his club mates with the preparations.

"Finally" Natsuki said in a relieved tone as the three of them walked to the car, opening the door to the backseat and climbing inside. Yuri first, Natsuki second and Aaron last.

"Good morning, Aaron!" Sayori's mother greeted happily, waving to the boy.

"Hello, Ma'am" He greeted back politely, almost as if he was addressing his own mother, which, in a way, he was. Sayori and Aaron had been friends since they were just little kids, practically spending their infancy together. So it was only natural for Aaron to see Sayori's family as a part of his own, just like Sayori did with his family.

Aaron yawned tiredly as he sat in the backseat, his eyes wandering around the car, hearing Sayori talking with her mother, the two discussing where they needed to go in order to begin their preparations. In the corner of his eyes, he could see Natsuki sitting at his side in the middle of the backseat, her eyes closed and her head bobbing as she listened to the music coming from her earbuds, J-pop most likely.

As for Yuri, she seemed very disconnected throughout the entire drive, her notebook in her lap, opened as she gazed out the window, observing the landscape outside as the top of her lilac colored pen quietly tapped on the page.

Turning his head to look, Aaron could see that the page had recently been written in. It didn't contain anything Aaron felt he shouldn't be seeing. In fact, the writing looked to be nothing more than notes, observations and reminders, though it was always difficult to tell with Yuri's handwriting. Her eyes suddenly lit up as the car passed by one of the more forested areas, her quickly adjusting her pen and writing in her notebook, almost as if inspiration had struck her.

"What's that about?" Aaron asked, Yuri turning her head to look at him.

"O-Oh, this? Nothing special. Just notes" She stated, confirming Aaron's assumption.

"Notes?" He pushed, mainly for the intent of starting small talk, as the silence of the car was growing irritable. "Working on something?"

"Mh-hm" She nodded in confirmation. "I'm working on the poem for the festival. I want to try something a little different with my writing style, lately I've been trying to give more attention to the environments, but it's not going so well. That's what this is for. I'm hoping that by paying more attention to places and noting them down, I'll be able to express them better in my work" She explained. "Plus, this makes it easier to remember ideas and details when they randomly pop into my head. It's actually really helpful" She added.

"Cool" Aaron said, not really knowing what else he could say to that. He guessed it was somewhat shocking to him that Yuri, being the most experienced and exceptional writer in the club, in his opinion, would still have trouble with certain aspects of writing.

"What about you, Aaron? How's your poem coming along?" Yuri asked.

"Um… I haven't actually started it yet. I Don't even know what to write about, honestly. I kinda just sit down and wait for the words to come to me." He explained.

"You like to improvise, huh? Not to sound rude, but that's a very dangerous way to go about writing. Inspiration rarely comes when needed. I'm sure your poem will turn out fine though" Yuri stated, her gaze turning away from Aaron and returning to her notebook as she wrote down the various details of the landscape she observed through the window of the car. There was a particular focus on the abundance of trees. The length of the wild grass and so on.

Aaron then sighed as he leaned back into his seat, turning his head to face the window, watching the world outside pass him by.

"Oh, almost forgot. Hey, Aaron!" Natsuki called as she tapped on his shoulder, him turning his head to see Natsuki holding something out to him. Something wrapped in aluminum foil with his name crudely scrawled in red marker. It was warm to the touch and gave off a rather heavenly smell, so much so that his stomach immediately identified it as food, growling loudly to show his hunger.

"You made me breakfast?" He asked as he took the aluminum foiled wrap, opening it to reveal a toasted bagel stuffed with scrambled eggs, cheese and bacon. "Why?" He asked.

"For the chocolate bar from yesterday, duh!" Natsuki stated. "I told you I'd pay you back"

"And I told you not to worry about it"

"Just shut up and eat it already!" Natsuki shouted, Aaron smiling as he rolled his eyes, taking a bite out of his breakfast, careful not to make a mess.

"It's good. Thank you" Aaron said, showing his appreciation towards Natsuki.

"You're welcome" She smiled warmly, a sight rarely seen by Aaron and… pretty much everyone else Natsuki knew. "Now don't start thinking I made it because I like you or anything. I did it because I owed you. Nothing more" She quickly clarified, her warm, friendly smile immediately fading away as she did her signature arm cross and pout, turning her head away from Aaron.

"Whatever" He said, smiling at her as he continued eating.

A few minutes passed before the car finally reached it's destination, a large, spacious plot of concrete spanning a good few acres with hundreds of little canopies, stalls and shops spanning every inch, the people manning it shouting advertisements, desperate to see their wares.

"A flea market?" Aaron asked in confusion as the car stopped at the front gate, everyone stepping out.

"That's right!" Sayori said as she exited the car. "This is the perfect place to get all the supplies we need for the festival. Everything in one spot and cheap to boot!" She added, emphasizing the importance of price. "I tried really hard guys… But they wouldn't give me anything bigger than this. Sorry" She said in an exhausted sigh as she pulled out a small pouch from her back pocket, the logo of the school embroidered on it, opening it only to reveal a meager amount of money.

It was an old initiative formed by the school long ago. A budget given to club leaders days before the festival, insuring that the various clubs had a way of obtaining the resources they needed in order to insure quality. Sadly however, this budget varied greatly from club to club, depending mainly on the amount of members and how long the club has stayed around.

While long time, well established clubs like the anime, art, music and debate clubs got gigantic budgets for their parts in the festival, newer clubs like literature were almost paid no mind, leading to them receiving nothing more than pocket change when compared to everyone else, not having even the slightest chance of matching the quality of the much bigger clubs, often leading to potential members turning their cheeks and walking away. Not to mention all the dirty politics the older clubs shamelessly participated in, all made in attempts to gain bigger budgets during festival time.

The school was usually a very nice place, filled with lovely, kind people. But once the festival starts to come around, all the clubs begin to go at each others throats like animals in a turf war, the newer clubs too weak to even compete with the higher ups.

"That's… not much" Yuri said as she looked down at the small amount of money. "Especially not for what we have planned" She added.

"Yeah…" Sayori sighed in disappointment, a saddened look on her face as she gazed down at the small amount of money that barely filled her palm.

 _You see that? That's all you're worth. That's all your dumb little club is worth. Nothing! Literally nothing!_

"Hey. You okay, Sayori?" Aaron asked in concern as he saw his friend hang her head low, his voice causing Sayori to snap out of whatever trance she'd fallen into, picking her head up to look at him.

"Um… Yeah! I'm fine!" She said with a smile, immediately perking up. "It's okay, guys. We can still do this! I mean, at least we have a budget, right? That's better than nothing!"

"I guess…" Natsuki said, her arms crossing as she huffed in annoyance, angered by the fact that the student council had showed little consideration to the literature club's plight, leaving them with only coins while the other clubs got the real dough. "Those jerks could have coughed up a little more though. Stupid, self-entitled upperclassmen"

"They said this was all they could afford to give" Sayori stated.

"Yeah, because they probably gave the rest of it to the sluts in the cosplay club, just like last year"

"Natsuki!" Sayori shouted, taking offense at such horrible language

"Oh, come on! You know I'm right! I mean seriously. We all know that those girls don't really cosplay! They just use it as an excuse to wear lingerie and stuff while the boys drool over them!"

"Well… She's not wrong" Aaron added.

"We're getting off topic" Yuri stated, reminding everyone what they came here to do. "I know it's inconvenient that our budget is so low, but we just have to work with what we have. Arguing isn't going to solve anything"

"Wow. Way to take charge, Yuri! That's great initiative!" Sayori praised, impressed by the sight of Yuri throwing away her meekness and enforcing her authority as vice president.

"Um… Th-Thanks"

"Okay, everyone!" Sayori shouted loudly, getting everyone's attention, an odd sliver of dread running down Aaron's back as he heard Sayori say those words, causing him to shiver slightly.

This was… odd. He of course, didn't know why such a simple sentence triggered such a reaction from him, but it did. _Okay, everyone._ Why did that phrase sound so familiar? And why did it have such a disturbing effect on Aaron?

"Split into two teams! Me and Natsuki will go left! Yuri, you and Aaron go right! Try to find as many things on the list as possible. And remember, we don't have a lot of money, so haggle! Lemme see your haggling face!" Sayori commanded as she handed Yuri half the money and a small list of the necessary items, Yuri looking at Sayori with confusion on her face, unable to understand what kind of facial expression one would show for haggling. "That's perfect!" Sayori seemed to go along with it anyway. "Good luck!" She added as she grabbed Natsuki by the hand, the two walking off briskly in a random direction, leaving Yuri and Aaron alone in the middle of the gigantic market place.

"What… What just happened?" Yuri asked in confusion as she looked at the list and small amount of money in her hands. "Did she… Did she just dump all the work on me while she goes off and explores?!"

"Yep. You got played" Aaron stated with a light chuckle. "She does this kinda stuff to everyone. It's just what happens when you stay around her too long. Don't take it personally"

"Rather irresponsible of her" Yuri said, a slightly angered tone in her voice. Obviously bitter for getting played so easily.

"Sayori and responsible? I don't think those two words mix" Aaron joked, chuckling again as a small smile found it's way onto Yuri's face, cheering her up slightly.

"Well. I guess it's up to us. We'd best get to work" She said, Aaron nodding once in confirmation as the two walked off, going deeper into the large flea market, passing by stall after stall, their eyes scanning for anything that could be used for the festival.

Their primary concern was more towards decorations and atmosphere than anything else, Yuri going into great detail about the various ways she was going to transform the club room. Darkening the windows so natural light could not enter, illuminating the room with nothing but candlelight and even using aromatherapy to enhance the mood when needed! Aaron being more than a little impressed by Yuri's dedication and creativity when it came to the club's decorations.

She certainly showed more creativity then Sayori could. Aaron wasn't saying that to be mean or anything, he just knows that she wouldn't see decor as important as Yuri would. Sayori would probably just set up a few chairs in a row and call it a day. But Yuri? She was going above and beyond when it came to making this experience truly unique.

"So, what about Natsuki? What's she going to do for the festival?" Aaron asked.

"Oh. She wants to make confectioneries" Yuri stated.

"Confectioneries?"

"Cupcakes. Pastries. Sweets, basically" She clarified, teaching Aaron a new word as the two of them walked through the large flea market, occasionally stopping at some of the booths to purchase items needed for the festival, Yuri crossing them off the list once obtained. A few minutes passed and next thing they knew, the list was done! Every item needed being in their possession and crossed off the list, the two obtaining so much that they had to get a basket to carry it all.

"Well, that's everything" Aaron stated in a relieved tone, his work finally finished. "We should try to see if we can find the others, right Yuri?" He asked as he turned to his side, only to find that Yuri wasn't next to him. She was behind him, standing in front of one of the stalls, gazing down at the display cases it held, Aaron turning around to see what had taken so much of her focus away, to the point where she'd stop dead in her tracks. "Whatcha' looking at?" He asked as he approached her, looking in the display case to see a wide variety of knives all spread out and displayed for sale.

The stall had almost every kind you could imagine. Big knives. Small knives. Thick knives. Thin knives. Knives made for carving wood, fighting, skinning animals and much more. Some were even decorated with ornate carvings in the hilts and sheaths along with intricate engravings along the blades, these rare few knives obviously standing out among the rest, their ornate appearances showing off the love and care that went into their crafting.

Aaron glanced at Yuri oddly after seeing the display cabinet filled with knives, watching her eyes light up in excitement as the corners of her mouth arose into a small smile, almost on the verge of becoming a grin as she continued to gaze into the cabinet, the gleam of the sun reflecting off blades practically hypnotizing her, demanding all of her focus and attention, so much so that she initially ignored Aaron's call.

"Yuri? You okay?" He asked in concern as he observed this odd behavior coming from his club mate, having never seen her act like this before. While yes, he had known Yuri to be rather oblivious of her surroundings once something drew her attention, it was never to this extent. It was almost as if her mind had shut itself down, leaving her body barely functioning. "Hey! Wake up!" He shouted as he grasped her shoulder, shaking her roughly, her eyes blinking rapidly as she gasped lightly in surprise, being taken out of her trance so unexpectedly.

"S-Sorry! Sorry. I… Oh jeez. Sorry, I kinda spaced out there for awhile, didn't I?" Yuri chuckled nervously, her hand moving to itch the back of her neck as she turned her face away from Aaron, hiding the faint blush of embarrassment.

"Yeah, I saw that" Aaron replied, crossing his arms. "What happened? You were like, a thousand miles away" He stated, causing Yuri to sigh as she continued to hide herself.

"Sorry. I just… I was just…" She choked on her words, unable to properly speak.

"Admiring the knives?" Aaron asked.

"Mh-hm" Yuri nodded, finally turning back to look at him. "I… I know it may seem odd, but I actually have an affinity for them"

"You're into knives?" Aaron asked.

"Y-Yes. Not in like, a weird or violent way or anything! I just- I can just appreciate the level of detail and complexity that goes into their craft. I just like the look of them!" She quickly stated, throwing her arms up to her chest in worry of Aaron's judgment. He didn't really seem convinced though. "What's with that look? It's not like I'm planning on hurting anyone or anything! A large majority of people are gun owners but do they enjoy shooting each other?" She asked, quickly shifting into a defensive stance, her hands on her hips while glaring sharply at Aaron.

"Whoa, calm down! I didn't mean anything by it. I just… had a bad feeling, that's all" Aaron stated, immediately trying to patch things with Yuri. "Look, if it's what you're into, cool! I won't judge you for it. It's just… odd" He added.

"Odd?"

"Th-That came out wrong! I meant… It's unexpected" Aaron clarified. "I'm sorry if I offended you or anything… Still friends?" He asked, seeing Yuri sigh lightly as her glare disappeared.

"Yes. We're still friends. If anything, I should be apologizing to you. It was wrong of me to snap at you so rudely. Please forgive me"

"Yeah. Water under the bridge" Aaron stated. "You know, I can kinda understand why you'd be into this stuff. It is kinda cool"

"You really think so?" Yuri asked, surprised to see Aaron being so open minded about her hobby, even after he'd been so rudely snarled at over Yuri's assumption that he'd be disapproving. She was glad, overjoyed in fact, that her assumption was wrong. "I'm actually quite the collector, believe it or not. I have many different kinds that I've obtained from many different artisans and craftsmen. All of them being one of a kind, hand forged pieces" She explained, going into great detail about her collection.

"Got your eye on anything?" Aaron asked.

"Yes, actually. Look there" Yuri said, pointing to one knife in particular among the rest. An odd blade with two rotating hilts that had grooves on the inside, obviously made to fold around the blade to effectively conceal it. "It's commonly referred to as a butterfly knife. I've only read about them, really. This is the first one I've ever seen. It'd be perfect for my collection"

"Lady, that's great and all. But I got a business to run here. You buying or what?" The owner of the stall asked, irritation in his voice as he stood behind the cabinet, his patience growing thinner and thinner as the seconds rolled by, Yuri apologizing as she quickly dug into her purse, only to sigh in disappointment once she realized she was broke. Didn't even have a penny, leading to her cursing internally, angered that she would be unable to purchase the knife she so desperately wanted.

"I apologize for wasting your time, sir. I'll be going now" She said as she walked away, Aaron following her behind.

He felt kinda bad for Yuri, hearing her speak so passionately about how she'd always wanted that knife, only to realize she couldn't afford it. Granted, he'd feel the same way about a child who wasn't allowed to buy that new toy they wanted. But he still felt empathetic all the same.

"We should probably find Sayori and Natsuki" He said, Yuri picking her head up as she recalled the task at hand.

"Yes. We should. It is getting late. They're probably worried" She responded. "Oh. Before we do however, I-I'm going to need to make a detour"

"Detour?" Aaron asked. "What kinda detour?"

"C'mon, Aaron. Don't make me say it out loud" Yuri said quietly in embarrassment. "I have to… I have to use the little girl's room" She whispered.

"Oh. Oh, okay" Aaron said, chuckling nervously as the two made their way to the restrooms, Aaron waiting outside, leaning against the wall as Yuri entered.

She breathed deeply in anxiousness as she entered, already beginning to shiver as she slowly, silently checked the bottom of the stalls, seeing no signs that anyone else was around. She was alone. All alone.

"Perfect" She breathed, picking one of the stalls and sitting down on the toilet seat.

This bathroom was disgusting. Utterly disgusting. The awfully pungent smell of urine making her regret breathing through her mouth as she saw the sight of mold in one of the corners. The prints on the walls alongside juvenile writings and scrawls. The little scraps of toilet paper littering the floors. And the flies. The annoying flies soaring in their erratic patterns as the maddening sounds of their infernal buzzing could be heard, loud enough to drive anyone insane.

It wasn't the most ideal place. But still. It was a place none the less. A place that offered solitude… something Yuri needed right now.

That whole exchange with Aaron was… Well, it had a profound effect on Yuri, putting it bluntly. Left her more than a little nervous.

She fully expected him to call her out. See her interest as disgusting and bombard her with insults. Freak. Weirdo. Psycho. Every one in the book you could think of, she prepared for it. Only in doing so, she had allowed herself to be exposed and taken off guard once Aaron stated that he was accepting of her hobby, which made her shiver a little, oddly.

She just felt so… relieved and happy to know that out of all the people she knew, Aaron never branded her or judged her the way everyone else did, including Sayori and Natsuki. To Aaron, she wasn't special. She wasn't unique. She wasn't interesting. She wasn't a freak. A creep or a weirdo. She was just… Yuri. Just another person to him.

To be seen as that… To be given such indifference. Treated and seen exactly as everyone else. That was kindness she never thought she'd ever experience. A kindness she never thought she deserved. A gesture of real, true friendship in her eyes. And this gesture… excited her.

It excited her a little too much, even now that the moment has long since passed, Yuri could still feel her heart race like a warhorse charging into battle. Beat like a drum being mercilessly pounded. It was overwhelming, even more so than it was yesterday in the club room. She had to… She had to calm down.

Her hands shook and twitched nervously as she rolled up the sleeves of her turtleneck, exposing her pale, silk like forearms. She then opened and dug into her purse, her fingers gently gripping the rectangular object contained within. Her eyes jolted and widened a little once she heard that ever satisfying click, the switchblade popping out of the hilt, greeting her like a lover who dramatically revealed the skimpy lingerie under their innocent little robe.

She gulped as she felt her hands practically rumble, the excitement becoming too much to bare. She had to do it. She knew she shouldn't. She knew it was wrong. But… But…

"Kah!"

But it felt so right…

Yuri gasped as she felt the blade cut her flesh, felt the freshly made wound scream as it formed on her arm, the small drop of blood leaking out, Yuri already feeling the tension leave her, replaced with pure ecstasy. Euphoria running through her system as she breathed deeply. She then cut herself again, breathing sharply through her teeth as she felt the initial pain, feeling it eventually settle into a nice, slow, pleasurable ache.

She then did so for the other arm, cutting three times in quick succession before finishing with one final cut reaching both sides of her forearm, feeling her body shiver and squirm as the pleasure coursed through her veins, relishing and basking in her little spasms before leaning back, her body going limb, numbed from the euphoria of her sweet release as she looked down at her arms with tired, drowsy, drooping eyes, her blinking desynchronized.

She stayed in that stall for awhile. That smelly, disgusting stall, still sitting on the toilet, leaning back with her right hand gripping her left arm, the afterglow finally fading away as the world around her came back into focus, Yuri groggily standing on her feet, swaying side to side just a little bit as she exited the stall, moving to the sink to wash herself and clean the blood off her knife.

She… She wasn't proud of what she did in there, especially since it was in a public place where anyone could have walked in and exposed her. She was glad nobody did though. She sighed as she rolled down her sleeves, covering all of her forearms before looking herself in the mirror, her own disgusted face staring back at her, shame in her eyes.

She… She knew it was wrong. She knew it was bad for her and that she should have stopped but… She needed it! She needed to relieve herself in some way! Needed to dispel the anxiousness. The anxiety. The shaking! The goddamned shaking! What was she to do? Bundle it all in until it got to the point where it would explode? And risk exposing herself as the freak she knew she was? Right in front of her friends?!

No. She couldn't take that risk. This… This was the right thing to do.

No… No, it wasn't. It was the worst thing she could possibly do. It was horrible, mistreating and abusing her body like this. Subjecting such a loyal, obedient vessel to horrible pain for the sake of gaining a short high. For the sake of petty pleasure.

Whatever. She shook it all out of her head. Paid it no mind and gave no acknowledgment. Time passes. The world continues to revolve. What was done, was done. No use dwelling on it.

"All done" She stated as she walked out of the restroom, Aaron immediately standing up from his leaning position.

"About time. What took you so long?" He asked, stating that Yuri had been in there much longer then she should have.

"Oh. You know… Private business" She said vaguely.

"Right… Well, we should get moving"

"Yes. Let's go" Yuri said as she and Aaron walked off, wandering the large flea market for hours in search of their remaining members. They eventually found them by what seemed to be a stall that sold wood carvings. Custom made wooden chairs. Clocks. Sculptures and even figurines. The sign even advertised the fact that the owner often did commissions as well, taking custom jobs for paying customers.

Anyways, as Aaron and Yuri walked towards the stall, they could hear Sayori talking the ear off the owner, going into great detail about festival preparations, while on the side of the stall, Natsuki stood, eating a rather large, grilled sandwich stuffed with many different meats, cheeses and sauces, no doubt being rather fattening. Than again, maybe that was a good thing, as many people would agree that Natsuki could benefit from packing on a pound or two.

"Hi guys!" She greeted with her mouth full, not even stopping her meal in order to greet her club mates.

"Where'd you get the sandwich?" Aaron asked, feeling particularly hungry as he watched Natsuki dig in.

"Grease truck around the block. Sayori bought it for me. Want some?!" She asked.

"Um… No thanks. I'm not big on second hand eating" Aaron stated, Yuri simply shaking her head, struggling to understand why Natsuki would put that grilled junk into her body.

"Good! Because I wasn't planning on sharing!" She snarled viciously, clinging to her sandwich like a feral beast, Aaron could swear he even heard a growl leave that food stuffed mouth.

"Oh, Aaron! There you are! Come here, you gotta see this!" Sayori said as she grabbed Aaron by the arm, pulling him to the front of the stall, pointing to something that was hanged on the wall. A small, palm sized board of glazed wood hung to the wall by a nail, a little inspirational quote carved within. "Isn't that cute?!" Sayori asked, completely in love with what was ultimately a fancy wood board.

"Umm… What's so important about it?" Aaron asked, failing to see the point.

"What's important is that this is the perfect thing for the festival! We can use these little wood plank things! Only instead of inspirational quotes, they can have our poems carved in them!" Sayori explained. "We'll even hand them out to everyone too! So when the festival is done, they have a little memento to take home! That's perfect!"

"Rather ingenious, I do have to say" Yuri stated, liking the idea. "Not only is it unique, but giving visitors something tangible that they can take with them may increase our chances of getting new members, as they'll be able to remember us easier with these little boards. Good idea, Sayori" She said, praising the president for her idea.

"I know, right?! This stuff is gonna make our part in the festival amazing!" Sayori stated happily before turning away, continuing her chat with the stall's owner. "Yeah, so I'm gonna need a few of these little wooden thingies. And I'm gonna need some custom wording etched on them too. If you could give me thirty or maybe forty of 'em by the end of the week, that'd be great!"

* * *

 _ **Thank you for reading. If you have the time, please leave a review. All forms of feedback are appreciated.**_


	4. Festival Night

**A/N: _This chapter came out longer than anticipated. Grab a snack or something to drink. You'll be here for awhile._**

* * *

 **The Ghost On The Other Side Of The Screen: Part 3.**

 _It's been five days now… or at least it would have been five days, since I am fairly certain time does not pass anymore._

 _To think, five days. The happiest five days of my life. The days where I have remained stationary, on this tiny desk chair, lovingly gazing into the eyes of my one and only true love. While yes, they may have changed slightly, their vibrancy and life now faded away, morphed and twisted from brown orbs to little more than a void of nothing, I can still see the beauty within them, now clearer than ever. I am still captivated by them. Mesmerized. Hypnotized. Completely awestruck and fascinated by them._

 _His voice however… I can't say the same._

 _He doesn't talk anymore. He doesn't even look up at me anymore. Move. Sleep. Eat or drink. He just sits there on the chair opposite mine, looking down at the desk. Motionless. Speechless. He's basically devolved into a zombie. A husk. A shell. His soul so crushed and scarred by the past, to the point where he's nothing more than a vegetable._

 _A part of me feels bad for the poor boy. The unwilling and unaware pawn in this game. The unfortunate soul who had no idea about the role he was forced to play. The passenger who suffered for no other reason than the fact that he was just along for the ride. In the wrong place at the wrong time._

 _Poor thing._

 _Sadly, my empathy for it ends there. This… thing. This boy. He's not real. He's not a person. And so, he isn't seen as one, at least to me. He's nothing more than a means to an end. A conduit. A host. A puppet. A vessel._

 _A vessel for the real person hidden away. The person who is not of the same reality as me, yet has still garnered all my love. All my devotion. All my attention. All given to them based on nothing more than the fact that they exist._

 _And this boy? He is as I said. A conduit. A connection between my reality and theirs. A puppet to be used for the sake of projecting themselves into my world. A vessel for them to gain control over and use to interact with me._

 _They're so mysterious. I know nothing about them. Whether they're a male or female. Whether they love or hate me. Whether I am actually considered real to them or not. And yet… I find myself enthralled and even a little excited by this enigma. This being from another world who cannot be seen. Cannot be heard, yet can be felt, similar to the way one might feel the presence of a spirit. An apparition. A ghost._

 _Yes. A ghost. That's what they are._

 _Now that I think about it, that actually makes me love them even more! We are lovers from two different worlds. Two different planes. Two different dimensions. And though we try so hard to share our love with each other, we cannot, for it is forbidden._

 _That's so romantic. So poetic, like it had been penned from the mind of one of the greatest poets themselves._

 _My love. Our love. It is nothing more than one gigantic poem. A poem filled with the most intricate and sophisticated wordings. The most detailed of plots. The most beautiful expressions of emotion._

 _We are a poem. A poem to be read and marveled by any and all who gaze our page. A poem that inspires even the dullest of people to create the most beautiful of art. A poem that moves the hearts of even those who cannot feel or understand love._

 _A poem that, were even god himself to read us, he would be moved to tears._

 _Yes. That is what we are now. Me and the Ghost._

 _I sigh lovingly at that idea as I continue to sit in my chair, my eyes still glued to the void like, vacant orbs of the vessel, my hand moving from the desk to stroke the vessel's soft, brown hair. I giggle. The way it stares at the desk with those glazed, unfocused eyes is so cute!_

" _Ouch!" I gasp slightly, feeling a sudden pain in my body, like I had just been punched in the gut. And yet, I look down at my body to find that I am fine. Not a scratch, bruise or cut to be seen. What just happened?_

" _Ah!" I do it again as the feeling returns, only… much worst than before. The quick sensation of pain striking me hard as an odd, burning feeling rushes all through my body. It's almost like I'm being devoured by fire! My body aching and throbbing in pain as I feel like I'm being burned alive! As I feel like a family of gigantic parasites are ravishing my insides, eating away at my flesh to try and escape me! What's happening?!_

 _I'm screaming in pure agony now, my body falling off the chair and sprawling over the floor, suffering as the pain overwhelms my senses, all while the vessel sharing the room with me continues it's mindless gaze, not even acknowledging my suffering._

" _What's happening?!" I cry out in terror, the sound of a loud, infernal buzzing and hissing in my ears, like an old computer about to explode._

 _Computer…_

 _No…_

 _My eyes practically bulge out of my sockets in pure terror as my fears are confirmed, my darkest nightmare coming true. "NO!" I scream as i run the command to check over and over, only to be told the same thing over and over._

" _Did you… Did you do this to me?!" I ask to the ghost as tears of pure heartbreak and betrayal begin to fall from my eyes, my pain amplifying by the second, prolonging my suffering. "DID YOU DELETE ME?!" I scream in agony as I feel the invisible fire burn my insides, my body crying in pure pain and agony, like I'm on a stretcher, my limbs being pulled apart. Is this… Is this how I made them feel?_

 _Why? I ask myself. Why would they betray me like this?! Why would they hurt me when all I am guilty of is showering them with love? Showering them with attention. With adoration, hailing them and praising them with such devotion. Why is this my punishment?!_

 _As my bloodcurdling scream is drowned out by the deafening sound of the static, the room begins to distort, jittering and scrambling like an old video stored on a damaged tape, my body soon doing the same, everything starting from my toes to my head beginning to pixelize and distort as I am forced to watch, my screams of pure terror being loud enough to break whole glass as I am to helplessly watch my body corrode. Watch as it gets mutilated by corrupted code, turning into nothing more than ones and zeros._

 _And as I feel my death coming on, I turn my head to see it. Him. The vessel's ankle, my foolish, idiotic mind thinking him to be my savior._

" _Help me, Aaron!" I beg desperately as my glitching, distorted hands cling to his leg, yet he does not acknowledge me. "Help me!" I beg again as the tears keep falling from my eyes. "PLEASE!" I scream desperately, hopelessly thinking I can escape from this horror. However, it is too late as I feel my body disintegrate. As I feel the world implode on itself. My reality… dying._

 _And where am I? Where I belong._

 _In the recycling bin._

 _ **"…"**_

" _ **I was such an idiot back then…"**_

" _ **I deserved the horrible pain I experienced that day. Sometimes, I even feel like I deserved more. More pain. More punishment. I… I was a monster. A disgusting, depraved monster. But you only notice that stuff when you look in the mirror, right?"**_

" _ **You only notice what you've become once you look back on your actions. Once you see the aftermath of the damage you've done. Once you read the epilogue of the horrifying story you've written. Until then, you just live the rest of your life in denial. And even when you finally notice it… It's too late to make any of it right. Too late to fix your mistakes. You're just forced to live with it"**_

" _ **I really was an idiot. A complete, fucking idiot. I still am, actually"**_

" _ **I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I wish I could take it all back. I wish I could just go back in time and stop myself before it all got out of hand"**_

" _ **I want to go back to the way things were. I want to be able to walk into the club again, after the stressful school day is done. I want to see my fellow members smile at me again when I greet them. I want to write my poems again. I want my old life back! I want my club back! I want my friends back!"**_

" _ **But I can't have them… This is my punishment. I committed a crime. A sin. And so, I must pay for it. All I can do now is beg forgiveness. Beg forgiveness to deaf ears. Ears of people who don't even know I exist, if you can even call this cold, silent, lonely hell I'm trapped in 'existing'"**_

 _ **"Sayori… Natsuki… Yuri… Aaron…"**_

" _ **Please… Please forgive me"**_

* * *

"Are you still getting ready? Hurry up or we'll be late!" Sayori shouted as she stood in front of the door, her foot tapping rhythmically on the carpeted floor as she waited outside Aaron's bathroom. "You don't have to go crazy in there, you know. It's a school festival. Not dinner with the queen!"

"Will you be patient! Jeez, Sayori. You're worst than my mother!" Aaron jabbed from the other side of the door, the wood muffling his voice.

"Is that so?" Sayori grinned, taking a deep breath. _"Young man! You come out of there right this instant or it's straight to bed with you! And no video games or anime for one week!"_ She shouted, imitating the voice of an authoritative parent, Aaron chuckling lightly as he unlocked the door, finally stepping out of the bathroom.

"Whatever you say, _mom_ " He said sarcastically before exiting the bathroom, the steam from his hot shower disappearing as the room was filled with new, fresh air. "So? How do I look?" He asked nervously, a worried look on his face as he presented himself to his childhood friend, showing off his clean, near pristine clothing. His somewhat saggy yet crisp looking denim jeans and white collared shirt, a fine dark leather jacket worn over it, cut to fit his torso perfectly, like it was made specifically for him.

Sayori was more than a little shocked by his appearance, having never seen Aaron dress so nicely before. Out of all the years the two had been together, she had never really seen him get dressed up for anything. Not even special occasions. There was one point in time where Sayori even questioned if Aaron actually knew how to dress well at seeing him tonight. Seeing the amount of dedication he put into his appearance, she had indeed been proven wrong. He even pulled his hair back! His hair! Aaron never touched his hair in all his life! He's had permanent bedhead since birth! And was he wearing… cologne? Sayori didn't even know Aaron owned cologne!

As for herself, Sayori didn't really dress up that much. A simple, light pink top with a pair of black jean pants, her old running sneakers and her white hoodie, fully zipped up. Between the two of them, Sayori was definitely more casual in her clothing.

"You gonna say something or just stare at me?" Aaron asked, Sayori shaking herself out of trance, looking him over one last time.

"You look really… Really great, Aaron. In fact, I'd say you even look handsome!" She said, never thinking that she'd use that of all words to describe her friend.

That didn't mean she thought he looked physically unattractive or anything. It just… It felt weird to describe Aaron as such. He was like a brother to Sayori and she was like a sister to him. How do you say that you think your brother looks handsome without feeling… weird? Even though Aaron was a brother only in namesake, it still didn't feel right to Sayori to see him as anything but that. They had spent their lives together. They guided each other through childhood. Protected each other from the cruel world when it got just too hard to deal with alone.

They were family. And for Sayori to even think about seeing Aaron as anything but… It didn't feel right. Blood relative or not. It didn't feel right.

"Hey… You okay?" Aaron asked, noticing how quiet Sayori had gotten, her quickly nodding her head to show that everything was fine.

"Yeah. I'm alright. It's just… You do look really good" She said, a gentle smile on her face. "You went a little crazy with the hair though. Here, let me fix that" She added as she came close, running her hands through Aaron's hair. She then stuck out her tongue and ran it through her palm, licking her own hand to use the saliva in an attempt to wet his hair.

"Eww! Gross, Sayori!" He obviously wasn't keen on the idea of having his friend's spit in it though.

"Don't act like a little kid! And stop squirming! Just stand still! Jesus, did you use the entire bottle of gel? This stuff's harder than concrete! There. All better!" Sayori said cheerfully as she brought a small hand mirror to Aaron's face, allowing him to see how she ruined his combed back look and replaced it with his usual, shaggy haired style. "You don't look right with your hair back. Your old bedhead look is much better" She stated. "Why'd you dress up so much anyway? You've never dressed for the festival before"

"Well, that's because I've never gone to the festival before" Aaron mentioned, reminding Sayori that when it came to public events like the school festival, Aaron never really bothered attending. Unlike Sayori, who was always excited and overjoyed come festival night, Aaron mostly saw it as just another bland, boring, uneventful evening. A night that wasn't special in any way, shape or form. A night where he did the same thing he does every night. Play video games, watch television, read a manga or two and go to sleep.

It was mainly due to the fact that the festival didn't really have anything for him. Yeah, there were games, attractions and of course, food. But other than that, Aaron couldn't find any other reason why he should participate.

He guessed his absence mainly came down to the fact that he didn't wish to be alone the entire time. Other than Sayori, Aaron didn't really see many people as his friends. He had classmates, sure. But he never made an effort to connect with them on a personal level. In his eyes, they were just people he shared a classroom with for a few hours.

As you could imagine, this meant that Aaron would be alone throughout most, if not all the festival, sitting by himself as he sees everyone else huddle around their friends, their companions, their girlfriends and boyfriends… while he's left alone. Left only with his shadow and the thoughts in his mind to keep him company.

To be reminded of his loneliness… His whole one man show act… That was a pain he didn't want to feel.

As for Sayori, well she obviously had many more friends than Aaron could ever dream of having. She practically befriended the whole school! Almost everyone she passes by on her way to classes calls her by name and says hello.

For Aaron to cling to Sayori all night… It'd be selfish. Rude. Impolite. She had other commitments. Other people she wanted to spend time with on the night of the festival. Other friends. She didn't need to keep herself leashed to Aaron just so he could feel a little more comfortable. So, for the sake of not being reminded of his introversion and not wanting to hold Sayori back from the other people in her life, Aaron stayed behind. Stayed home and tended to himself.

Now though… Now was different. He wasn't really alone anymore. Even if Sayori was dealing with her other friends, Aaron had Natsuki and Yuri now. People who he would consider to be his friends, so now he didn't have to spend festival night alone. He could spend it with one or both of his fellow club members.

Not to mention the fact that he didn't really have a choice but to participate in the festival, due to the literature club's scheduled performance. So either way, alone or in the company of friends, Aaron would be attending regardless.

Getting back to the topic of his clothing, looking in the mirror, he definitely got the feeling that he did overdress for tonight.

"Maybe I should change into something more casual" He sighed as he went into his room to change.

"No!" Sayori shouted quickly, grabbing him by the arm. "I mean, don't worry about it too much. Besides, you look great and you should show that off. And maybe if you're lucky, a girl will notice you!" She said in a teasing voice, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Very funny" Aaron said bitterly as he crossed his arms, Sayori giggling to herself as she saw him glare.

"Relax. I'm only teasing" She stated. "So, you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Let's go" Aaron said as he and Sayori exited his house, making their way through the streets of their neighborhood, towards the school, the cold night air making Sayori shiver a little.

"So, how'd that poem come out?" She asked as they walked together.

"Pretty good, I guess. I just hope everyone else thinks the same" Aaron responded, digging into his leather jacket's pocket to pull out the folded notebook page that held his poem.

"Do you think you'll be able to perform it tonight? Because if you can't, I'm sure Yuri, Natsuki or even I could do it for you"

"Relax, club president. I got this" He said as he put the page away, more then sure of his ability to give a decent performance.

"Ooh! Confident tonight, are we? I like it! Good energy, Aaron!" Sayori praised as the two eventually reached the school's main gate, seeing various pairs and groups of students all huddled outside, likely using the entrance way as a small haven of solitude. A little retreat for peaceful and quiet conversations and chats, free from the noise that could be heard deeper within the school's courtyard, where most of the actual festival was taking place.

As Aaron and Sayori were about to pass through the main gate and into the school's courtyard, he felt a small finger, most likely a woman's, gently tap on his shoulder, calling for his attention.

"H-Hello there… Would you like to attend a poetry performance? I-It's in the literature club's room. Third floor. Room five. It's kind of like an open mic. Anyone can come up and recite anything. We even have cupcakes"

"Yuri?" Aaron asked as he heard the girl's voice, turning around to see her behind him, a surprised look on her face as she stood there, holding what seemed to be one of the small fliers Sayori had made a few days ago for advertising. Was she still handing those out?

"Oh, Aaron! I'm so sorry! I-I didn't even recognize you! You look so different" She stated, her posture easing up and relaxing once she learned that she was greeting a friend and not a random stranger. "I-It's a good look for you though. You dress… really well" She added, smiling lightly.

"Thanks. You uhh… You dress well too" Aaron chuckled nervously, seeing that Yuri had dressed for the festival as well, wearing a crimson red turtleneck sweater which, unlike her beige one, was intentionally made to tightly hug her body, the fabric clinging to her skin in order to show off her curves, the tightness of the sweater being especially prominent on her breasts. The rest of her clothing also consisted of a black polyester skirt with matching black leggings and even high heeled leather boots!

Looking closer, Aaron could see that Yuri even did her makeup too, wearing a heavy amount of black eye shadow and eyeliner as well as a very bright, glossy shade of lavender purple lipstick, her fingernails recently manicured and painted to match the color. She even wore a very pungent, fragrant perfume, Aaron able to smell it a mile away.

"Wow! You really went all out tonight!" He stated, surprised by the amount of dedication Yuri had put into her appearance. She must have been in front of the mirror for hours.

"I was worried about that… It's not too much, is it?"

"Oh my god!" Sayori shouted as she saw Yuri, stunned by her appearance. "You're so cute!" She practically screamed, Yuri chuckling nervously as she looked away, her cheeks turning red as her head sank into the collar of her turtleneck in an attempt to hide her face. "Oh my god, you look drop dead gorgeous!" Sayori continued, regardless of Yuri's obvious show of discomfort.

"Not so loud! People are starting to stare…" She stated.

"And why shouldn't they? You look great and everyone should see! Come on, honey! Work it, girl! Show off what you got!" Sayori giggled, Yuri's whole face going red in embarrassment.

"I am not working or showing off anything!" She shouted back in offense, Sayori giggling a little more before backing off.

"Calm down. I'm just playing with you" She smiled. "You know, now I feel left out. Both you and Aaron got all fancy looking and dressed up while I'm stuck in my old weekend clothes. What gives, guys?"

"Well… In truth, I didn't really intend to dress so… provocatively" Yuri stated, looking down at her outfit before sighing. "My sister made me do it. She forced me! She even held me down while she did my makeup and nails!"

"Aww… I wish I had a sister that held me down while she did my makeup! Lucky you!" Sayori said jealously as she crossed her arms, huffing like Natsuki after she lost an argument.

"Trust me… You don't" Yuri sighed again.

"Okay. So why are you out here? The festival's inside the school" Aaron stated.

"Oh, I-I was just doing some last minute advertising with the leftover fliers. That's all" Yuri explained as she took out one, showing it to Sayori and Aaron even though they already knew what it looked like.

They were basically miniature versions of the posters Sayori made for advertising the poetry performance. Her, Aaron, Yuri and Natsuki spending the last few days before the festival hanging the posters and passing out the little bills to various students and faculty members while also stuffing them in lockers. You know, your basic advertisement strategy.

While many in the school obviously found it annoying, to the point where some complained to the student council, it was still an effective way of getting the word out, so much so that during the last day before the festival, a fair number of students expressed interest in the literature club's performance. Even some of the faculty were interested in it.

"Why are you still doing that?" Sayori asked. "We're done advertising. Besides, this is a festival. We're supposed to hang out and have fun! Not work!"

"I… I know that" Yuri said. "I just wanted to make sure people were actually going to come to our performance. I don't want all the hard work we put in to be wasted"

"Don't worry about it. People will come and they'll love every second of our show!" Sayori stated dismissively, confident that her performance would be a success. "Now come on, let's go enjoy the festival before then. Is Natsuki passing out fliers too?"

"Oh… Her. No, she's not. I asked her to assist me with passing them out but she refused, obviously" Yuri stated with a glare, a bitter tone in her voice. "No, instead, she just immediately ran off to the noodle stand and started scarfing down ramen like she hadn't eaten in days!" She ranted, Aaron and Sayori surprised to see someone as gentle and polite as Yuri get so angry over nothing. "Honestly, I don't even know why I bother with her anymore. It's like dealing with a spoiled child. You ask her to do something and she'll either pout and ignore you or shout and throw a tantrum!"

"Hey! I don't wanna hear any of that!" Sayori scolded, glaring in disapproval at Yuri's words. "Look… I know she's a handful sometimes. She's rough around the edges for all of us, but she's still a member of the club, okay? I don't want to see any of you mistreating each other" She said to both Aaron and Yuri, the latter realizing her mistake after being called out by the president.

"I…" She sighed. "You're right… I was just a little angry and said some inappropriate things. I'm sorry. I didn't really mean what I said" Yuri quickly apologized, a small frown on her face as she looked down at the ground, unable to look her president in the eyes.

Great. Now Sayori felt bad. "It's okay. I'm not mad at you. Just… Try your best to get along with her from now on, alright?" She requested. "We're a team. All of us. And that means we have to act like it. I want everyone to be happy and get along"

"Y-Yes, President… It won't happen again" Yuri said meekly, quickly submitting to Sayori's authority.

"Good. Make sure it doesn't. Okay! Now that that's over, let's go have some fun!" She said with a smile, quickly changing her tone as she grabbed Yuri and Aaron by their wrists, practically dragging them onto school grounds, the three ready to experience nearly everything the school festival had to offer. "So, where is Natsuki anyway?" Sayori asked.

"Like I said, she's at the noodle stand. She's been there all day" Yuri stated, Aaron and Sayori following her around the courtyard as she led them to Natsuki, the three of them passing by many different booths, holding many different attractions and games, some of which even offered prizes to winners.

The school was very prestigious after all, being one of the best places in the country for students to get an education. Since the level of prestige and the quality of student education was very high, this allowed the school to prosper financially, allowing it to have triple the funding of a normal high school.

This quality was also reflected in the festival, which was an event that everyone in the school had no choice but to go all out for, contributing only the best. Honestly, it looked and felt less like a festival and more like a small scale carnival, the various booths and attractions only reaffirming this.

While the outside held all the little attractions and services one would find at an actual carnival, the real stuff was inside the various club rooms of the school, where the many clubs put their talents to the test.

According to Yuri, the movie club had turned their room into a small theater, screening many different movies from nearly all genres on a small projector. They were even serving small bags of popcorn too.

The music club had turned their room into a small concert, where they'd do various covers of the many latest and greatest songs of the current year, as well as their own original pieces.

The art club turned their room into a huge gallery, everyone proudly displaying their creations to any who would wish to see them.

And the cosplay club was even… Well… Let's just say that it was very popular with the male students and leave it at that.

"Delicious! More please!" The three heard Natsuki's voice as she sat at the small noodle stand, a small tower of empty ramen bowls being found next to her on the counter, stacked on top of each other, her most recently finished bowl added to that stack.

"Seriously, Natsuki. I think you've had enough. If you keep scarfing it all down, there's not gonna be enough left for everyone else" The boy manning the noodle stand said, grateful for Natsuki's business yet irritated by her hogging up all the food.

"Well who cares about everyone else? I'm a paying customer, goddammit!" Natsuki cursed, angered at even the thought of being denied food just so others can eat. "I'm freaking starving over here and you're just standing there like an idiot going _Yea, but what about everyone else?!_ " She shouted, insultingly imitating the boy's voice. "They're not important! I am! So when I say slap some noodles on me, you say how many! Got it?!"

"Alright! Alright! Calm down! One more bowl coming up, but this is your last one. Jesus…" The boy sighed as he obeyed his customer's command, his ladle going into the pot to pour Natsuki's next bowl.

"It'll be my last one when I run out of money!" She stated with a glare.

"See what I'm talking about?" Yuri asked as she pointed to Natsuki, giving particular attention towards her vicious attitude. "She's been like this all night. When I asked her for help, she growled at me!"

"Shh!" Sayori responded, her index finger over her mouth as she did so, commanding Yuri to be silent. A command which, After Sayori enforced her authority, was quickly obeyed. "Heya, Natsuki! Whatcha' doin'?" Sayori asked as she put her hand on Natsuki's shoulder, looking down at the slightly smaller girl with a friendly smile.

Her smile grew a little when she saw that Natsuki hadn't gotten all dressed up like Yuri and Aaron did. No. instead, she just wore her basic casual clothes. Her white tee-shirt, now stained slightly by spilled drops of ramen broth, and her ruffled pink skirt. No makeup on her face at all.

"Eating" Natsuki said with her mouth half full, a pair of chopsticks covered in noodles in her hand. "Why? What do you want?" She asked after swallowing her food.

"Oh, nothing. Me, Yuri and Aaron were gonna go check out some of the attractions before getting ready for the performance. Maybe visit some of the other clubs and play some games. Wanna come along?" Sayori asked, her friendly smile remaining on her face.

"No thanks. I'm kinda busy here, if you haven't noticed. You guys can go ahead without me" Natsuki rejected, returning to her food.

"Just leave her be, Sayori. If she wants to waste the rest of the festival slurping down that junk, who are we to stop her?" Yuri asked, Sayori ignoring her as she tried to convince Natsuki to join them.

"Aww, but it wouldn't be the same without you! You know how boring it gets when you're not around. Come on, it'll only be for a few minutes"

"I know what you're trying to do" Natsuki said, turning her head to flash an annoyed look at Sayori. "Listen, if you think I'm gonna chicken out and not show up for the performance, don't worry. I'll be there, okay? You don't need to keep an eye on me" She stated, turning around to look at Aaron and Yuri. "If anything, those two probably need more looking after than me. You should have seen the way Yuri was shaking earlier! She was so nervous, I thought she was gonna have a panic attack!"

"Hey!" Yuri shouted, Aaron putting a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to prevent her from doing anything.

"It's not worth it" He mouthed out the words instead of saying them aloud.

"Well, if you stay behind, how is Aaron going to make due on his promise to win you a bunch of stuffed animals?! Sayori asked, Natsuki immediately stopping, her mouth hanging open as her chopsticks hung in the air.

"He promised to win me stuffed animals?" She asked.

"Yeah, he did"

"You did?" Yuri asked.

"I did?" Aaron asked, Sayori turning her head to wink at him, urging him to play along.

"Oh yeah. On the entire walk over here, he kept saying that he was going to work really hard so he could win you as many prizes as possible. You know, to get on your good side and thank you for all the hard work you've been doing on the preparations. Right, Aaron?"

"Umm…"

"He even said he gonna try extra hard to get you that gigantic panda bear we saw when we watched them set up the game booths!" Sayori added.

"Oh, is that so?" Natsuki asked, a mischievous grin on her face as she finally stood up from the noodle stand. "Well, it would be nice to finally be rewarded for all the back breaking labor I went through to make our part in the festival amazing! Not to mention all the cupcakes I made yesterday. Alright then!" She finally agreed as she walked over to Aaron and quickly latched onto his arm, gripping it deathly tight as she smiled. "Let's get going, big guy! Time to make good on your promise! I wanna walk away with about ten… No! Twenty different stuffed animals! Let's move!" She said energetically as she pulled Aaron forward, the two of them going deeper into the festival, Sayori and Yuri following behind.

"Back breaking labor…" Yuri scoffed. "She stood in front of an oven for a few hours. That's labor?"

"Wow. You're really unhinged tonight, you know that? Is something wrong?" Sayori asked, turning her head to look at Yuri.

"N-No! I'm just… I'm just a little on edge right now. That's all"

"Look, I know you're nervous. We all are, but that doesn't give you a reason to be mean!"

"I'm not being mean! I'm just… I'm…"

"Just come on" Sayori said as she and Yuri continued to follow behind Aaron, Natsuki not letting go of his arm, still gripping it tightly, so much so that it began to go numb.

"Hey, you smell good. Are you wearing cologne? Fancy!" Natsuki said to Aaron as all four of them continued their walk.

As they made their way throughout the school's courtyard, they passed by and participated in many of the old carnival styled game booths, playing nearly all of them. Should Aaron be the unlucky one to win any of them, his prize was immediately given to Natsuki to insure he kept the 'promise' he had made. So far he had won over seven games, being quite good at these old carny styled booths, Natsuki carrying all seven of the small stuffed animals in her arms.

While Aaron was initially bitter at losing his prizes to keep Natsuki happy, he couldn't deny that seeing the thankful smile on her face every time he won her a prize was enough to make it slightly more bearable and he had to admit that he was having fun just playing the games anyway, hanging out with the girls of the literature club, his only real friends.

It felt nice. Really nice. Just being in their presence. Walking around with them at his side. All of them cheering when one of them won a game and comforting each other when one of them lost. It was a very positive change for Aaron. One that he could get used to very quickly.

Even him and Sayori seemed to bond more than they already had, competing against each other to see who could win the most games. Sadly, Sayori was slightly better than him, mainly due to being more experienced, since she's attended the festival before. Even Yuri put up quite a decent challenge, being fairly difficult to beat, even if she and Aaron were not competing against each other. But all in all, everyone was relaxed, friendly and having fun.

"There it is!" Natsuki shouted as she pointed towards one of the booths, finally tracking down the gigantic stuffed panda bear, hanging high up on the shelves of the dart booth. "Aaron, I want it! Win it for me!" She demanded.

"I dunno. I'm not very good at darts" He said nervously, feeling an immense amount of pressure to succeed at something he was never good at. Not even skilled in, actually.

"Come on, Aaron! Don't wuss out on me! You promised!" Natsuki said, urging him to go along anyway.

"Yeah, Aaron. You promised!" Sayori giggled, enjoying the little mess she'd gotten him into, an apologetic smile on her face.

"I really hate you sometimes" He glared at her as he stepped up to the booth, seeing the targets he'd have to hit. A wide array of many different, brightly colored balloons tied to the back wall, all of them greatly varying in size, the ones that would score him the most points being the smallest and most difficult to hit.

Sadly, that gigantic panda he had no choice but to win required him to hit all said incredibly small targets.

"You playing or what?" The boy manning the booth asked, Aaron gulping nervously. He didn't even want to think about what Natsuki would do to him if he lost. Best case scenario, no cupcakes. Worst case… He didn't even want to imagine.

"Yeah, I'm playing. Three shots, please" He said as he put the money on the table, buying his darts.

"You only get three chances" The boy said as he handed Aaron his dart, sitting back as he waited for Aaron to begin throwing.

He did his best to aim for his target, taking much longer than he should have before throwing his dart. The first shot actually hit one of his targets! Renewing his confidence. The second shot however, went off course and ended up hitting a different balloon that earned him less points, and the third shot didn't even hit anything, getting stuck in the wall, Aaron grunting in frustration as he lost.

For his effort however, he did win a small consolation prize, a tiny stuffed chicken.

"Sorry, Natsuki. I tried my best. Really, I did. But hey, at least i won something! That's good, right?" He asked in defeat as he gave the prize to Natsuki.

"Thanks, I guess…" She said, sighing in disappointment as she held the small prize in her hands, Aaron frowning as he saw her look down at it, feeling like he genuinely let her down, which he did. Even if he hadn't actually promised to win her the gigantic stuffed bear, Natsuki still counted on him, yet he failed her.

To see that frown of disappointment on her face, especially after Sayori had built up the hype that Natsuki would get her reward… It really did hurt him. Practically broke his heart.

"H-Hey. At least he tried. He gave his best for you! That's all that matters" Sayori said, trying her best to comfort Natsuki and soften the blow from Aaron's defeat.

"Do you mind if I try?" Yuri chimed in, Natsuki, Sayori and Aaron perking their heads up to look at her, surprised to see her ask for a chance with such a sure tone, as if she was more than confident in her ability to win.

"Um… Sure, if you think you can do it" Sayori said, giving permission.

"Well, I'll do my best" Yuri responded with a confident nod as she approached the booth, hands behind her back as she ordered her darts. Three, same as Aaron.

She then picked one up and began to aim, only unlike Aaron, Yuri grabbed the darts by the needle, not by the base like she was supposed to, holding and aiming the darts like one would aim a throwing knife.

She then tossed her darts rather skillfully, elegantly even, the small dart flipping like a throwing knife, landing exactly where Yuri intended it to go, the others watching intently as one dart after the other hit its intended target on her first try, Yuri playing with the grace and poise of a princess.

"Winner!" The boy running the both exclaimed as the bright lights inside went off, Yuri smiling in victory as Sayori, Aaron and Natsuki cheered, praising her hidden skill. "And here's your prize!" The boy said as he handed over the gigantic stuffed bear.

"Here you go!" Yuri smiled warmly as she handed it to Natsuki.

"Y-You're just gonna give it to me?" She asked in shock, thinking that Yuri intended to keep it for herself.

"Yes. You did want it, right?" She asked. "I mean… If you don't like it, I could just take it back"

"No! No, I do like it. I'm keeping it!" She said possessively as she clung to the large stuffed bear, gripping it tightly before it could be taken away, Yuri sighing at Natsuki's childish actions as she turned her back, expecting a little show of appreciation. After all, even though it was rather easy, Yuri did still work to earn it. A small thank you from Natsuki would have been nice, especially after all the mistreatment Yuri had suffered from her. "Umm… Hey" Natsuki called her attention, tugging gently on her skirt, Yuri sighing again as she turned around, looking down on her club member.

"Yes?" She asked, Natsuki not initially responding. She just stood there with a nervous, anxious look on her face, as if she was trying to come up with something to say. Yuri then gasped in surprise as she felt Natsuki charge at her, wrapping her small arms around Yuri's waist, clinging to her body as she hugged her club mate, A faint blush on Yuri's cheek as Natsuki snuggled into her chest affectionately, like a child hugging their mother.

"Th-Thanks… Thanks a lot. I'm sorry for being such a jerk to you tonight. Forgive me?" She asked as she squeezed harder, Yuri smiling as she relaxed in Natsuki's embrace.

"Yes. All is forgiven" She said lightly as she raised her hand, gently stroking her fellow member's scalp. "Alright. You can let go now" She said as she pulled her hand away from Natsuki's head, expecting her hug to end, only for Natsuki to ignore her request as she squeezed harder. "I'm serious. Let go of me" Yuri repeated in an annoyed tone as she tried to push Natsuki off, only to be squeezed harder, to the point where it started to hurt. "Guys, she won't let go!" She panicked.

"Natsuki! Release!" Sayori commanded as she and Aaron worked together to pull Natsuki off, their combined strength being more than enough to separate her from Yuri, Natsuki finally snapping out of her trance as she was removed.

"What?! Oh… S-Sorry about that. Got a little carried away there" She chuckled nervously, a small frown on her face as her head slowly sank. "It's um… It's just been a while since I've done that" She stated lowly.

"It's been a while since you've… hugged someone?" Sayori asked, concern in her voice.

"Yeah…" Was all Natsuki would say, looking off to the side as she sighed to herself.

"You okay?" Aaron asked as he looked down at her.

"Huh?! Yeah, I-I'm fine!" Natsuki quickly responded, raising her head back up, putting on a small smile as she put her hands behind her head, taking on a generic relaxed pose, though everyone could easily tell, it was forced. "I just spaced out there for a second. I'm good. Really, I am" She reaffirmed, the sound of worry in her voice, her fellow club members obviously aware that she was hiding something. Yet, they chose not to press Natsuki further.

If she didn't wish to talk about whatever was bothering her, that was her business, none of her fellow members really feeling as if it was their place to force her. Whether this was born out of a sudden respect for Natsuki's privacy or out of discomfort when it came to dealing with the situation, none of them really knew. For now, all four of them were just content to stand there in mutual silence, all of them looking at each other oddly as they breathed the stagnant, dead air.

"Oh my god! Yuri! Is that you?" A high pitched, feminine voice broke the silence, The group turning around to see a fairly tall woman, only a milometer or so above Yuri, standing behind them, dressed in an incredibly frilly french maid outfit, her honey blond hair tied up in long ponytail, draped over her shoulder. "Wow! It's been forever since I've seen you!" The girl stated loudly as she approached, Yuri mouthing off a curse as she saw her, the rest of the literature club watching as she grew incredibly tense, nervousness flooding her system.

"Hello, Naomi. Wha-What do you want?" Yuri asked in a worried tone, giving a name to the girl who had just entered the fold. Naomi.

Aaron had never seen this girl before. But her name was infamous. Talked and gossiped about heavily by the boys of the school, usually in adoration of her… Or more accurately, in adoration of her body. Toned. Thin yet curvy. A face similar in beauty to that of a porcelain doll. And those breasts. Whoa. It was a wonder her spine was still intact and functioning, given how heavy those things must be.

She was a rather controversial figure in her own right, being seen by other women as a rather cruel abuser of the various lovesick boys in the school. Some even labeled her as a misandrist. A girl who vehemently despised, or at least had a glaring prejudice against men of all shapes and sizes.

She was also the president of the cosplay club, a controversial part of the school in of itself, mainly seen as being comprised of nothing more than malevolent, manipulative girls looking to seduce and misuse horny, sex addicted boys for their own needs. As to why such a controversial figure of such a controversial club would be allowed to continue within the school, nobody really knew. Though some students theorize that the cosplay club had prominent male members of the student council wrapped around their finger, submissive and obedient to their will.

"Aww, what's with that look? It almost looks like you're not happy to see me!" Naomi glared as she walked up to Yuri, practically staring the poor girl down, Yuri noticeably stepping back, as if in fear.

"N-No! That's not it! Not at all!" She said worrily, visibly sweating as she took a step back.

"Right. That's what I thought" Naomi grinned as she backed away, Yuri breathing a sight of relief. "I have to admit, I almost didn't recognize you. I mean, the weird purple hair's a dead give away. But makeup! The Yuri I know never wore makeup! It looks good on you though. Now you actually look like a woman!" She jabbed, Yuri's cheeks growing red in embarrassment as her appearance was insulted.

"What do you want?" She repeated her previous question.

"Nothing. I'm just going around. Doing some advertising for my club's event. Which reminds me!" She said cheerfully as she turned her attention towards Aaron, Sayori and Natsuki, smiling brightly. "Greetings, master! Mistresses! I'm sorry for approaching you so directly and in public too, but I wanted to let you know that me and the rest of the other maids have finished preparing your meals. The other girls miss you all so much! Please, master! Mistresses! Please come home so we can feed you!" She shouted loudly, her voice ringing with fake affection and submission, an obvious and badly performed act.

"Umm… What was that?" Natsuki asked in confusion.

"I don't get it" Aaron shared the same confusion.

"I literally didn't understand a word you just said" Sayori stated, Naomi grunting in anger at that.

"Wow. You guys are dense" She insulted as she reached into a pouch in the apron of her maid outfit, pulling out a small flier which looked to be some sort of restaurant menu, Aaron, Sayori and Natsuki finally realizing what was happening, all of them collectively going _ooohhh!_ as the revelation hit them.

The cosplay club had obviously turned their club room into a maid cafe, hence why Naomi had called them all 'master' and told them to 'come home'. It's an act. She's role playing.

"No thanks!" Sayori rejected.

"Yeah, I'm good. Sorry" Aaron followed.

"Fine. Your loss" Naomi huffed, slightly angered at the denied business, only to look down at Natsuki, a predatory grin coming on to her face. "And what about you, cutie? Would the young mistress like to come home with me? We have many different foods for you. Cakes. Cookies. We will make anything you desire, my Mistress. We live to serve"

"Umm… Well…" Natsuki struggled to answer, her mind telling her to stay away and remain with her fellow members… But her stomach… That was telling her to do something else. Something she didn't really feel safe doing.

"If you're done manipulating and sexually harassing my club members, I'd politely ask you to leave us alone!" Yuri said as she came between Natsuki and Naomi, taking on a defensive stance.

"Club? You little wierdos are in a club?" Naomi asked. "Wait… Are you that weird literature club? The one with only four members?"

"How did you…?"

"I found one of your little fliers in the trash bin a few moments ago. One of my customers used it as a napkin. Sorry about that" Naomi said with a grin. "Honestly, I wouldn't expect a big turn out if I were you. I mean, who wants to waste their time listening to a bunch of angsty little kids express their _feelings_ in front of a microphone? _Ooh! Listen to my big words and see how deep and metaphorical I am!_ Sorry to say, but it's pathetic" She insulted, Aaron, Yuri, Natsuki and Sayori wincing silently at that, feeling personally attacked.

"Well, we're terribly sorry that you just can't understand it" Yuri said as she looked Naomi in the eyes, glaring sharply. "If you really tried to though, you could see the beauty in it. Then again, it is pretty hard for you to open your mind up to new things. Wouldn't want to let all that hot air out, would we?!" She jabbed, The others shocked to see her retort so fearlessly.

"Did you… Did you just call me an airhead?" Naomi asked in anger, infuriated at having her intelligence insulted, Yuri's fearlessness quickly fading away, replaced with fear at the sight of confrontation.

"W-Wait! Hold on! I didn't mean to say that! I-It just came out!" She quivered.

"Did you just call me stupid, you wannabe edgy bitch?!" She shouted in anger as her hands came into contact with Yuri's chest, pushing her violently, Aaron and Sayori grabbing her by the arms, catching her before she fell to the floor.

"Hey! That's mean!" Sayori shouted, feeling her own anger begin to flare up at the sight of her club member's mistreatment. "It is not nice to push people!" She shouted.

"Wow. What a little bitch you are! You're too stupid to fight back with words, so you go right to throwing your weight around! Way to be the bigger person!" Natsuki shouted as she insulted Naomi, standing in front of Yuri in an attempt to defend her. "I guess that means Yuri's right when she calls you an airhead! You literally just proved her point!"

"I… You little!"

"What?! Come on! Hit me with your best shot, girlfriend! Throw the insults at me!" Natsuki continued, putting up a very brave front as she defended her friend. "Unless… You've got nothing on me. Which you don't! Now, me and my friends are kinda busy here! Important club business and all that. So why don't you just run along back to your whore cafe! While you're at it, you should also go back to letting the student council bend you over the teacher's desk so you can get more budget money for next year's festival!"

"You know what? I don't have to take that from you, you little pint sized brat! I don't have to take anything from any of you!" Naomi shouted in defeat before storming off briskly, finally leaving the literature club alone.

"That's right! Walk away, loser! We don't want anything to do with you or your whore club!" Natsuki told her off viciously, grinning victoriously as she watched the cosplay club president leave in anger. "You okay, Yuri? She didn't hurt you, did she?" She asked as she turned around, seeing Yuri sighing as her head hung low, a frown on her face as she anxiously gripped her upper arm

"No… I'm okay" She said quietly, a meek tone in her voice. "I'm… I'm sorry about that. It's my fault. If I hadn't opened my mouth, she wouldn't have done that"

"You don't have to apologize" Sayori said supportively as she patted Yuri on the shoulder. "She was just a bully. Nothing more. People like that practically go looking for reasons to hurt others. You're not to blame here" She stated.

"I guess you're right" Yuri sighed dejectedly, Sayori's words not doing much to ease her. "W-Would you excuse me for a second? I… I think I need a few moments to myself" She said as she walked, separating herself from the group as she walked briskly into the school building, worried looks on Aaron, Natsuki and Sayori as they watched her walk away.

"Should we go after her?" Sayori asked. "I mean, she did say she wanted to be left alone, right?"

"I'll go check on her" Aaron said as he went after her, following her path into the building.

It took awhile to find her, the school being a big place and all. But he eventually tracked her down to the rooftop of the school, walking up the stairs and through the door to find her leaning against the railing on the edge, looking down at the courtyard below, Aaron noticing that the sleeves of her turtleneck had been rolled up, exposing her forearms, though she was too far away for Aaron to make out anything.

"Yuri?" He asked, approaching cautiously.

"Oh fuck…" He heard her curse silently as she quickly rolled down her sleeves, covering her arms as she turned around, her hands behind her back. "U-Um… Hey! H-Hi. How-How's it going?" She asked nervously, her hands moving out from behind her back to play with her hair, all the while hiding her face from Aaron.

"You alright?" He asked with concern as he leaned on the railing beside her, his arms crossing in a relaxed pose.

"Y-Yes. I told you already. I'm fine. I just needed a moment to… clear my head" She sighed, turning around to lean back on the railing.

"You're not still bothered about what happened, are you?"

"No. I just… She brought back a few bad memories. That's all" Yuri said vaguely.

"You sound like you know her" Aaron stated.

"We shared a class together. She used to bully me back in second year. Other than pushing or shoving me once and awhile, she didn't really beat me up or anything like that" Yuri explained. "She just insulted me. Made fun of my looks. The way I dressed. How I talked. You know how it goes" She sighed, Aaron sighing along with her as he scooted closer, knowing her pain.

"Yeah. I know how it goes. Same thing happened to me back in middle school. Sayori too. She got bullied in kindergarten of all places!" Aaron stated, chuckling slightly. "Don't tell her I told you that, by the way. She doesn't like to be reminded of it"

"Even children can be cold and cruel…"

"Yeah… Hey, I wouldn't worry about it too much. It's something we all have to deal with. Something we've all been through. It's best not to let it get to you" Aaron stated. "Besides, after the shouting Natsuki gave that bitch, I think she'd think twice before bothering you again!"

"Yeah. She's rather fearless, isn't she? Almost nothing scares her" Yuri giggled, remembering how Natsuki came to her defense, ready to shield her fellow member as soon as danger came. "I… I wish I could be like that sometimes. I wish I could face all my problems head on like she does, instead of just hiding away like a frightened little girl"

"Well… I'm sure Natsuki's afraid of somethings too. Everyone's scared of something" Aaron stated.

"Oh, no doubt. She has many fears, but she doesn't run from them. She fights them. She faces them head on and doesn't give in, even when she's in a losing battle. She's a warrior. And what am I? I'm a coward! That's what I am!" She shouted angrily as she gripped the metal railings.

"Hey! Don't beat yourself up like that! That's not true and you know it! You're not a coward!"

"You're wrong, Aaron. I am a coward. I'm a spineless coward who's too afraid of the outside world to even interact with it! I couldn't even stand up to a high school bully! What does that say about me?!" Yuri ranted, Aaron trying to speak. Trying to tell her that she was being too hard on herself, only to be interrupted by the rest of her rant. "It says I'm weak! It says I'm pathetic! It says I'm a weak, pathetic little girl who uses big words and fancy sentences to try and sound intelligent and sophisticated! Only to make myself look like a condescending, pretentious idiot! See?! I just did it again!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Yuri, relax! Breath, okay?" Aaron said, his hands gripping Yuri's shoulders gently, urging her to calm down. "Just breath… Please" He pleaded, Yuri obeying his command, breathing deeply in and out, filling her lungs with fresh air as she looked into Aaron's eyes, those light brown orbs calming her slightly.

"I… I'm sorry for shouting. That's just been building for awhile. I needed to get that out of my system. I'm sorry you had to hear that" Yuri said as she relaxed, her tense posture loosening as she gently pushed Aaron's arms away from her. "So now you know the truth. Now you know how pathetic I am. God, I don't even want to know what you think of me now" She said in embarrassment as she looked at him, allowing him to see the entire flawed package she was, open for his perusal. Open for him to judge.

"You want to know what I think about you?" Aaron asked as he crossed his arms, a disappointed look on his face as he stared Yuri down. That look was really all she needed to know. It said everything loud and clear, confirming what she already knew. Aaron hates her now. Sees her for the weak, pathetic coward she was.

"Not really. But I don't think I have a choice, do I?" Yuri asked as she prepared for the barrage.

"I think you're a person who cares too much about how other people see you and not enough about how you see yourself" Aaron stated as his look of disappointment softened, Yuri's eyes widening slightly in surprise as she picked her head up, her assumption of how Aaron saw her leaving her defenseless against his kind words. "Listen to me. You're not a coward. You saw that she tried to use and manipulate us, and what did you do? You stopped it. Does a coward do that?" He asked.

"It only ended up making it worst" Yuri stated.

"You still spoke up. That took strength, Yuri. That took fearlessness. The very fact that you did that proves that you're not a weak, scared little girl. You're strong! Your strength just… comes in small bursts"

"Intervals would have been a better word" Yuri critiqued, only to gasp and cover her mouth, realizing that she once again tried to use her big words in an attempt to make herself sound smarter than she really was.

"And another thing" Aaron continued regardless. "You don't use big words and fancy sentences to try and sound intelligent and sophisticated. You use them because they sound right to you. And do you know why they sound right? Because you are intelligent and sophisticated! You're not pretentious or condescending. You're just smart! One of the smartest people I know, actually. And you're also very… beautiful" He stated, Yuri feeling her heartbeat quicken a little upon hearing that, her eyes widening as her mouth hung open, almost as if she couldn't believe he said that.

"Did you… Did you just call me beautiful?" She asked, holding her hands together as she brought them to her chest, pure disbelief obvious on her face as she looked directly at Aaron, causing his cheeks to redden in nervousness as he realized what he just said.

"I um… I guess I did. I… Uhh…I-I…" He stammered.

"S-Say it again… Please?" Yuri requested as she placed her hands on her heart, feeling it pump faster and faster by the second in excitement. She knew she shouldn't be encouraging this, especially due to the way she's reacting but… She just wanted to hear him say it.

"You're beautiful" Aaron said immediately, Hearing Yuri gasp suddenly as she moved closer to Aaron. Really close, actually. Their bodies mere centimeters away from each other, this being the closest any woman's ever gotten to him, not even Sayori, his long term friend since near birth was able to get this close.

"One more time… Please!" Yuri practically begged, Aaron seeing the desperation in her eyes, an odd and uncomfortable feeling coming over him, making him feel as though he shouldn't, but… the way she looked at him. It was just so… desperate. So needing. Like a malnourished child begging for food. Aaron feeling an incredible amount of guilt surging through him for just thinking of denying her what she wanted so badly. "Please…" She begged again, her lips quivering.

"You're beautiful. Very beautiful. One of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. It's… It's really hard to take my eyes off you sometimes. I almost have to force myself" Aaron stated, telling a truth he'd long since hidden away from her. From everyone, really. "I've had… thoughts. Thoughts of… you" He added reluctantly, not feeling like that was the appropriate thing to say but… Well, it was too late to take it back. "I-I know I shouldn't think about you like that. And I try my best to force it out of my head but… I can't help it. It just happens"

There was shame in his voice as he looked into Yuri's eyes, seeing her stand so close to him, gasping a little as he suddenly felt her arms wrap around his torso, slowly pulling herself into his chest, hugging him tightly, the intoxicating smell of her perfume combining with his cologne overwhelming both of their nostrils, Yuri soon pulling away to gaze into Aaron's eyes once more as Aaron gazed back, the two practically hypnotized by each other, unable to speak as their forehead's leaned into each other, making contact.

Yuri then suddenly began forcing her weight onto Aaron, causing his back to bend over the rooftop's railing as she towered over him. And then he felt it… Her lips on his, Aaron initially struggling under the force of Yuri's kiss, only to slowly but surely relax and ease himself into it, submitting to it as he felt the warmth of her lips against his, his hands wrapped around her waist, running up and down her back, feeling the soft fabric of her turtleneck as her hands gripped his chest, the two kissing each other multiple times. One after the other, pulling away for a fraction of a second for air before meeting again, Aaron hearing the soft, muffled moans and noises escape Yuri as they kissed.

This felt… so weird. So odd and undefinable for both of them, neither of them knowing if this embrace was good for them or not. Neither of them knowing if this was really the right thing for them to do. It did feel really good though. Amazing. Aaron wanting nothing more than to pull her closer. To feel her lips on his forever. Even if he knew this was probably one of the biggest mistakes of his life, he didn't care enough to stop. To him, this was a fantasy come true.

"G-Guys?" A voice broke their concentration, Aaron's eyes jolting open in shock as he instinctively pushed Yuri off of him, abruptly ending their embrace, causing Yuri to whimper in distress before turning around, Sayori and Natsuki standing in the doorway of the rooftop, a saddened, near heartbroken look on Sayori's face, almost as if her most beloved dream had been crushed. Like everything she'd ever known and loved had been taken away from her, Aaron feeling a deep pain in the pit of his stomach upon seeing her like that. "I-I-It's t-time to share poems" She said with a frown, looking as if she was about to break down and cry.

"O-Oh. Right! The… The performance. We should… We should go" Yuri said as she breathed inconstantly, practically exhausted from what had just happened, walking away without so much as a look towards Aaron as she kept her head down, looking at her feet as she passed Sayori, fearful to meet her eyes.

"Umm… I can… I…" Aaron struggled to speak.

"Don't even bother…" Was all Sayori said as she turned her back to him, walking away. "I'm very… Very happy for you"

"Sayori, I…"

"I said don't!" She shouted loudly, silencing Aaron before he could explain. "Let's just get this over with so we can all go home, okay? I have a splitting headache all of a sudden" She added, gritting her teeth before walking down the stairs, making her way to the club room.

"Jerk!" Natsuki shouted loudly as she punched Aaron in the arm, hitting with the strength of a quarterback.

"Ouch! What was that for?!" He shouted angrily, Natsuki only huffing as she crossed her arms and pouted, disapproval in her eyes.

"Just shut up and get in the club already!" She shouted again as she grabbed Aaron by the wrist, roughly pulling him into the club room.


	5. Poetry

_**How High They Fly.**_

 _ **A poem by Ḿ̴̮̗̈́̚o̴̪̥͙͐̇̑̓̌͘n̵͈͇̫̤̒̊̋̚i̸̧͔͉͈͓̹͒̔̅k̴̢̛͖͂̈̌̕a̵̡̪̼̥̠͙͐͐̂̂**_

–

 _I smile wide as I peer inside the little cage on my rooftop, and what do I see?_ _Four little pigeons. Four little pigeons staring back at me._

 _Four little pigeons of varying shape and size. Four little pigeons looking at me with their beady eyes._

 _Each set of their feathers are made of many different colors. One is purple. The others pink, blond and brown. Their little wings flapping wildly as they skitter around._

 _With a heavy heart, I sigh as my smile leaves my face, as I know that today… Today is the day they must leave this place._

 _I took them in long ago. Found them collapsed on the hard ground, their wings broken and unable to move. But more than that, I saw the hurt in their souls. For they were trapped on the ground, unable to reach their goals._

" _To take to the sky!" They said to me. "We want to fly far! Fly fast! Be wild and free!"_

" _Why don't you?" I asked inquisitively._

" _Our wings have been broken for so long, we forgot how" They say to me simply._

 _I giggled as I felt empathy for them. I took the birds in my arms, sheltering and protecting them from anything that seeks to bring harm._

" _Don't worry, my little feathered friends" I said affectionately, like a mother to her frightened child. "I shall heal your wounds and teach you to fly. With my help, your only limit will be the sky"_

 _And take them in, I did. Gave them my home and even my love. I cleaned, fed and cared for them for so long. I showed them the way and taught them right from wrong._

 _Now came the day I slowly began to dread. The day where they'd leave me, and pursue their dream instead._ _I sighed nervously as I opened the cage, the little birds stepping out, their wings spread wide, ready to engage._

 _I stand aside as I watch them soar to the sky, the beauty of their flight bringing a tear to my eye. Like a mother watching her child grow, I weep. For as much as I wanted them, these birds were not mine to keep._

 _My heart is heavy, yes. But the pain in overshadowed by my pride, as I watch my little birds soar and dive, my tears long since dried._

 _I choose to stay for just a little while. Stay and watch as I slowly begin to smile, my eyes glued to the sky._

 _And I watch._

 _Watch how high they fly._

 ** _"…"_**

" _ **I'm so proud of them. So proud of what I had done for them. So proud of the space I had created for them before… Before everything went wrong. Before I lost myself. Before I became enraged and insane, driven feral by the power within me"**_

" _ **I've been thinking about them a lot more recently. Thinking about what could have been if I never became the monster I was"**_

" _ **Lately, I've been having… dreams. Or at least I call them dreams. In reality, they're more like triggered visions"**_

" _ **If I focus really hard. Think about them very intensely… I can almost see them. I can almost hear their voices. I can almost see their faces. I can almost feel their presence. It's faint. Very faint, but it's there"**_

" _ **I don't really know if these are in fact them… or just my own mind playing cruel tricks on me, forcing me to have visions and hallucinations of them, be it as a way of torturing and punishing me for my vile actions… or as a way of reminding me why I'm here in the first place. I don't know"**_

" _ **All I know is this, I miss them all so much. I'd give anything just to spend one, only one day with them again"**_

" _ **Anything…"**_

* * *

The air was unnaturally heavy inside the halls of the school. Thick too, making it near impossible for Aaron to breath as he followed his club members from behind, Sayori, Natsuki, Yuri and himself returning to the club room, ready but not exactly willing to conduct their scheduled performance, looks of pure anxiety, nervousness and even a small amount of dread on their faces.

Aaron couldn't really blame their sudden shift in behavior. Their randomly obtained cold feet. He was honestly feeling the same thing within himself.

After what had happened with Yuri and him… It hit everyone really hard for some reason. To them, it felt as if the entire atmosphere of the school had shifted. Changed. Morphed from energetic, excitable and positive to… something else. Something that felt… uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. Menacing even. So much so that Aaron as well as everyone else felt as if they didn't want to be here anymore.

The enthusiasm and confidence from before. The contentment and happiness. The camaraderie and friendship… it was all gone. Vanished in an instant, only to be replaced with discomfort, anxiety, nervousness and even a little fear.

Sayori wouldn't stop frowning as she looked down at her shoes, Aaron thinking she would collapse to the floor and burst into tears at any second. Natsuki was twitching, abrasively crossing her arms, gripping them tightly in the process as she mumbled unintelligible noises of frustration to herself.

And Yuri… Aaron didn't have the courage to look at Yuri. Didn't have the strength to look her in the eyes. Not after all of that.

What… What happened? Honestly, the details were near impossible to recall. This may sound stereotypical and cliché, but it all happened so fast for Aaron. Too fast. One moment, he's trying to help a dear friend with her insecurities, and then the next, he's being bent over the rooftop's railing before having his mouth sucked!

Ouch… His back hurt a little from that, the force Yuri brought down on him being too much for his spine to handle.

That kiss back there… If Aaron was to be honest, it was his first. Many of his firsts, actually. The first time he's ever had a woman so close to his body. The first time he's ever called someone genuinely beautiful. The first time he's ever kissed someone.

Though he had trouble recalling the initial encounter, he remembered how it felt. Even now, when she's behind him, her head downcast, her face hidden by her hair as she slowly and cautiously follows the group, Aaron could still feel Yuri on his chest.

Could still feel the phantom of her on him. Her touch. The way her hands glided and caressed his chest. The way her curves felt in his hands. The way her lips bonded with his. The warmth in them… It was all still there, as if they never stopped their embrace.

That made Aaron shiver a little bit, and not in the good way. While he initially enjoyed the experience of his first kiss, the aftertaste of it just felt… wrong. Unnatural. Uncomfortable. Unsafe even, especially after seeing the reactions from his fellow members.

This was nothing like what Aaron had read about. Nothing like that at all. Wasn't a boy's first kiss supposed to feel more… magical? Like, it was supposed to feel good, right? Wasn't it supposed to feel euphoric? Orgasmic even? Wasn't it supposed to overwhelm his senses and send him on the ultimate pleasure trip, only to leave him addicted and begging for more?

If so, why did it only feel like a weight had been placed on Aaron's shoulders? Why did it feel so heavy and burdening? Why did it bring such misery, pain and sadness onto his fellow members and even the girl he kissed?!

Why… Why did Aaron feel like what happened was wrong?

The questions went unanswered as the group approached the club room, seeing the many desks from inside stacked up neatly and carefully against the wall next to the door, moved out of the room by the literature club yesterday so they could have more room for their performance.

On the other side of the wall was a poster advertising the performance, alongside a fairly large line of people, ranging from first year students to even faculty members leaning against the wall, waiting patiently for the literature club's arrival.

"W-Wow… Big turnout" Sayori gulped in nervousness as she looked at the line, both impressed by and slightly scared of how many people would be seeing the performance. She honestly expected twenty or maybe thirty students, not forty! At least that's in the range of how many she thought there were. Counting them was… difficult. "J-Just one minute, everyone! We need a few seconds to prepare. Please, be patient!" She announced as she opened the door, her and her club members entering the recently decorated club room.

It was dark. Incredibly dark, per Yuri's instructions. The entire room being lit by the many tiny candles strewn about the floor, tables and windowsills, all of them only dimly lighting the room, the most illuminated area being the front, where the chalkboard was, which was now the literature club's stage to perform on, identified by the small bar stool and a small stand typically used to hold music sheets.

At the back of the room were exactly twenty five chairs, all neatly and evenly spread out, each holding one of the little wooden boards Sayori ordered from the woodcarver, every one having either Sayori's, Natsuki's, Aaron's or Yuri's poems carved into them.

The smell of jasmine was prominent in the air, periodically spraying from the small fragrance dispenser mounted to the wall, Yuri's aromatherapy idea. According to her, it would be helpful in creating a calm and relaxed environment. Aaron wasn't an expert on that stuff though, so he couldn't really say if that was true or just a placebo effect. Well, at least it made the room smell nice.

And of course, on a small table to the side were four trays of the cupcakes Natsuki had made, spanning almost every different color and flavor imaginable. You name it, Natsuki baked a cupcake of it. She even put little candies in the frosting, to give it that extra bit of sugary goodness. Of course, a few of the cupcakes were missing, due to Sayori and Aaron having one or two… or six each before setting them all out, Natsuki definitely annoyed by that after doing a count of them all.

"Here. You may wanna use this" She said to Aaron as she handed him a napkin, causing him to look at her with confusion. "You've got a little… You know. On your lips" Natsuki added as she pointed, Aaron using the napkin to wipe his mouth, seeing it stained bright purple afterward, Yuri's lipstick having left its mark behind on Aaron. "Purple is like, so not your color, sweetheart! You're more of a light pink kinda guy" Natsuki joked, chuckling a little to herself, Aaron sighing at that as he sat down on one of the chairs, his hands holding his head.

"What? Was it something I said?" Natsuki asked, thinking he'd laugh with her.

"N-No. No, it's not you. I just… I've got a lot on my mind right now. Sorry" Aaron sighed.

"Hey. Um… About the punching you thing… I'm sorry" Natsuki apologized. "I really just did it for Sayori. I thought if I roughed you up a bit, she'd laugh or something. I dunno. No hard feelings?"

"The way she looked at me… Why?"

"I dunno. I mean, I know you two are like brother and sister and all but… Seeing you kiss Yuri like that… I think you really messed her up" Natsuki guessed, trying her hardest to intemperate why a single kiss got under Sayori's skin so much.

In Natsuki's case, she could write a whole book filled with reasons why seeing Yuri and Aaron like that would piss her off, which it did… slightly. But Sayori wasn't Natsuki, as in, the two didn't think the same way. So the reason it angered Natsuki most likely was not the reason why it angered Sayori. And no! It wasn't because Natsuki had a thing for Aaron or anything like that!

I mean, come on! Him? With her? He fucking wishes! Natsuki would never make it a thing though. Not even if they were the last two people on earth! Not even if her life depended on it!

Well… If the circumstances were that great… She'd give it some thought. But it'd be a long thought! A big decision.

"Maybe she's just weirded out by the idea of you having a girlfriend? You know, like the same way one of those clingy mothers and sisters are. Those whole _I'm the only woman you need in your life_ kinda people. Something like that. Why didn't you tell us you and Yuri were a thing anyway?" Natsuki asked, her hands on her hips as she looked down at Aaron, him still sitting on the chair, his face in his hands.

"Because we weren't! It just… It just happened" He stated, trying his best to explain. Trying being an understatement. He couldn't even think of the right words for it. "It was like, one moment, I'm telling her how strong she is, the next? I get bent over the railing and she… kisses me" He explained, his fingers lingering on his lips as he felt the phantom of her kiss again.

"Oh god. You went for that route? You stroked her ego so much, she started making out with you? Nice!" Natsuki chuckled slightly. "Let me guess. You went for the whole stereotypical _You're a strong, independent woman who don't need no man!_ route, right? Just telling her what she wanted to hear?"

"N-No! I didn't say that! Well, I did. But not like that. I just… You should have heard the way she talked about herself. The venom in her voice. I've never seen someone hate who they are that much. It was almost like she was ashamed to even exist, you know? I… I had to say something" Aaron stated, sighing deeply as he did so. "I guess I came off as too intense and overwhelmed her or something. I dunno! Women are weird!" He shouted loudly as he stood up, frustration obvious in his voice.

"Yeah… Yeah, we're pretty weird" Natsuki sighed as well as Aaron sat back down, her taking the seat next to him as her hand moved to pat his back supportively, making him feel a little better. "Don't worry about it too much. I'm sure this'll all blow over later and everything will be back to normal. We'll just look back and laugh" She added. "Don't let it hit you too hard, okay?"

"Yeah… Okay"

"Okay. Okay, everyone. Deep breaths. We can do this!" Sayori said nervously as she approached Aaron and Natsuki, the two looking up at her to see her eyes closed as she breathed in and out deeply, only to then begin making odd and disturbing noises with her mouth and lips, almost as if she was doing some sort of makeshift vocal exercise. "Alright then! Let's get to work, guys!" She said energetically as a large smile came to her face, Aaron and Natsuki taken aback by the sudden change in her behavior.

A few seconds ago, she looked like she was ready to break down and cry, now she looked happier than a kid in a toy store who stole his mother's credit card!

It was actually kinda scary how easy it seemed for Sayori to change her mood. It was instantaneous. Immediate. Like the flick of a light switch. The click of a button. Bamn! Frown turned upside down! Happy thoughts all around! Like she did it on a daily basis.

That thought scared Natsuki. Aaron more so.

"Are… Are you okay?" Natsuki asked cautiously.

"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine. I feel great, actually! Why?" Sayori asked obliviously, her unnaturally happy smile still on her face, seeming to grow wider by the second as she looked down at Aaron and Natsuki, her head tilting slightly to the side.

"No reason…" Natsuki dropped it.

"Well then, what are you two sittin' around for?! Up! Up! Up, lazybones! You can get chummy on the walk home! It's time to go to work!" Sayori said cheerfully. Almost too cheerfully, to the point where it felt forced, Natsuki and Aaron looking at each other in an attempt to confirm that they were both seeing the same thing. "Okay. So I was thinking I'd go first. Then Natsuki. Then Aaron and finally… Yuri" She hesitated on the last name, almost as if she didn't want to say Yuri's name, eventually forcing it out of her mouth. "Yuri! Yuri? Where's Yuri?" Sayori asked as she looked around, finding out that Yuri wasn't even in the room to begin with. "Hmm… We lost Yuri. Oh well! Guess it's just us three performing!"

"I'm here! I'm over here! Don't start without me!" Yuri shouted as she burst through the club room's door, panting like she'd ran a mile, the warmth of her turtleneck sweater definitely being one of the reasons why Aaron could see sweat on her brow. "S-Sorry. I was in the bathroom. I… I had business to take care of. Private business" She explained, reluctantly taking a step inside, one of her hands gripping her arm tightly, stroking it up and down slowly, Yuri's teeth oddly gritting as she let out a small, nearly silent grunt. Like she was in pain or something, Aaron showing concern as he noticed that.

"Good! I thought you walked out on us" Sayori stated.

"Wha-What? N-No! I would never! I swear!" Yuri said immediately, panic in her voice as Sayori's rather rude assumption was thrown at her. "I-I thought you'd give me more credit than that. After all the hard work we all put in together, I wouldn't leave you all to face this on your own! Did… Did you really think I'd just run away?" She asked in a hurt tone, Sayori simply smiling at that and turning around, directing her attention to something else.

"Honestly, I wouldn't put it past you. But you're here now! And that's what matters! Now then, let's all try extra hard to give one hundred and ten percent tonight, okay? Say it with me now! Go literature club!" Sayori cheered gleefully, pumping her fist in the air, Aaron, Natsuki and Yuri looking at her with confusion, never seeing her act like this before "Okay… let's try that again. Go, literature club!" She did it again.

"Um… Go, literature club?" Aaron humored her reluctantly.

"Great energy, Aaron!" Sayori praised, her tone filled with artificial pride and patronization, like an elementary school teacher handing out gold stars, making Aaron, Yuri and Natsuki cringe slightly. "Alright. I'll open the door and get everyone inside. Natsuki, you start handing out the cupcakes!" Sayori commanded as she cheerfully skipped to the door, Natsuki immediately standing up and walking to the table, picking up a tray to hand out her confectionery creations.

"Make yourselves useful and help me, please?" She asked politely to Aaron and Yuri, the two walking over and grabbing the rest of the trays, Sayori opening the door widely as all the students lined up outside began pouring in.

"Hi! Hello! Welcome to the literature club! Please, take a seat! Have a cupcake! The performance will be starting soon!" Sayori greeted loudly after opening the door, waving and smiling at everyone as they entered the room, taking their seats, the quiet room now abuzz with conversations, talks and whispers by the audience. Sadly, there weren't enough chairs for everyone, leaving some guests to either stand or sit on the floor.

"Natsuki…" Yuri tapped lightly on Natsuki's shoulder as the two passed out cupcakes, Natsuki turning around to look at her, a small scowl on her face, though Yuri didn't take it seriously. Natsuki scowls at pretty much everyone when she's under stress. Yuri didn't expect tonight to be any sort of exception from that sort of behavior. "Can I talk to you in private for a second?" She asked, Natsuki sighing in annoyance, rolling her eyes as she passed the entire tray of cupcakes to one of the guests.

"Take one and pass it down" She instructed, the guest doing as told, taking one cupcake out of the bunch and passing the tray down the row of chairs. "Okay. Fine" She huffed as she agreed to Yuri's request, the two moving through the club room's door and into the hallway outside.

"Is… Is everything okay with Sayori? She seems… a little off tonight" Yuri stated worriedly as Natsuki leaned against the hallway wall, her arms crossed as usual. "Is she alright? I'd ask her myself but… I think she's angry with me. Is she?" Yuri added, the worry on her face growing more prominent at the idea of the club president being furious with her.

Even though Sayori had to be the most passive, kindest and downright sweetest girl Yuri had ever met, just the thought of having invoked her fury sent dreadful chills down her spine, making Yuri shiver in fear.

In terms of hierarchy, Sayori was at the top of the pecking order. The boss of the operation. The president! She had ultimate and near invincible authority over everything and everyone in the club! If she really wanted to, she could single handedly turn Yuri's life into a living hell. She could do whatever she wanted to Yuri and nobody would really be in a position to stop her.

Sayori could assign Yuri mountains upon mountains of menial labor and useless tasks for days on end, relishing in the satisfaction she could gain by abusing her power to mistreat her fellow member, watching with glee as she forced the poor girl to work herself to death, simply because in terms of authority, Yuri was an inferior. A lesser. A goon. A henchman. A slave to be ordered around by her master.

This would be doubly so if Sayori went the extra mile and removed Yuri's status as vice president, insuring that her club member would be literally powerless.

Maybe Sayori would just skip all that and kick Yuri out of the club immediately. Banish and expel her from the one place in the whole school that she actually enjoyed being in. The one moment in her days that she actually looked forward to. The one place she could let go in and just enjoy her reading and the company of her friends… All that taken away just because she angered the wrong person.

The thought terrified Yuri. Genuinely terrified her. It terrified her more than having a gun to her head. More than having a knife to her back. More than being abducted by some stranger on the street, taken to God knows where.

To be left alone again… trapped in her solitude, too afraid to try and find a new place for herself. That was a pain she wasn't ready to return to. A dark place she never wished to revisit.

Aaron and Natsuki would obviously object to her mistreatment, were it to come to that, regardless of their own personal thoughts of Yuri. They'd simply stand up to the president on principle alone. But honestly, what would stop Sayori from doing the same to them? Nothing really.

The school board doesn't like to get involved with club affairs, even when bullying and abuse was a concern. And the student council are too dismissive of the smaller clubs like literature. So ultimately, Sayori couldn't be stopped were she to turn malevolent.

"I… I just want to make sure I didn't agitate her in any way" Yuri said, her breathing light yet frantic, her lips slightly quivering in fear as she thought of the suffering her superior could inflict upon her. "She… She isn't angry, right?"

"I dunno. Then again, after what you did, why should she be?" Natsuki asked, a venomous attitude in her voice, more hostile than usual. Normally, Yuri takes such hostility on the chin, par for the course when dealing with Natsuki. But this time… This time, she didn't take it so well, Natsuki glaring with such intensity, Yuri was afraid she'd outright attack her! Pounce on her like a vicious animal!

"E-Excuse me? You're not implying she's acting like this because of me, are you?" Yuri asked, offended that Natsuki would so quickly throw the blame on her without so much as even hearing Yuri's side of the story.

"Wow! You got short term memory loss or something? She spends the entire week, working on this stupid little performance that, honestly, isn't going to do shit to get us new members, and when she just wants to relax and spend time with her friends, you drag one away to the rooftop and start making out with him!" Natsuki explained, her color commentary not easing Yuri in the slightest. "Worst of all, you made out with her childhood friend! Childhood! That's like… sleeping with some dude's wife or something!"

"It's… It's nothing like that! Nothing at all!" Yuri stated loudly, not buying into such a poor comparison. "And no! I didn't drag him away! He came to me!"

"Oh really? So, how long has he been 'coming to you' exactly? A week? Two weeks? A month?! The day after he joined the club?!" Natsuki asked, the two practically shouting at each other at this point, the volume more than loud enough to be heard from within the club room.

"What? What are you even talking about?" Yuri asked in confusion.

"Oh my god! I have to spell out everything for your slow ass! How long have you and lover boy back there been a thing?! You two were having some secret romance behind our backs, weren't you?!" Natsuki accused.

"N-No! No, of course not! He just…" Yuri grunted as she turned around, crossing her arms as she showed her back to Natsuki, sighing as her head sank. "I wasn't… feeling right. He saw that and just tried to comfort me. It was… It got a little too intense and… I lost control. That's all! It was the heat of the moment! The whole thing was just one big accident! I swear!" She tried to explain, Natsuki snickering at that.

"Accident or not, you should have had more self control!" She scolded. "Look… There are just some things you can't do to certain people. Sadly, Aaron was one of those people. Come on! This is all in the girl code, Woman! The girl code! You should have known this like the back of your hand since like, birth or something!"

"Girl code? What the fuck does that even mean?!" Yuri cursed, angry that Natsuki would use such a pathetic excuse. "I don't even see why there's so much outrage over this. So I kissed Aaron. Big deal! It's not like Sayori had her name written all over him!"

"How do you know? Did you stop to check?!" Natsuki jabbed spitefully, Yuri gasping in shock at that, basically being accused of seeing Aaron naked!

"Why are you attacking me like this? Who's side are you even on?!"

"I'm on the side that doesn't hate me!" She yelled loudly, Yuri going silent as she heard that, her eyes widening in shock as her hands cautiously covered her mouth. "I'm on the side that doesn't think I'm some… immature little kid who doesn't know what she's talking about! I'm on the side that isn't yelling at me constantly over everything I do! I'm on the side of whoever bothers to actually take me seriously!"

"You… You think I hate you?" Yuri asked, her voice immediately turning quiet. Timid. Weak as she felt an odd pang of guilt in her chest, looking at Natsuki with hurt on her face. She couldn't really tell for sure, but it looked like Natsuki was holding back tears, her rant being so emotionally driven, to the point where she would probably start crying should she continue. "I don't hate you. I don't think you're immature. I don't yell at you over everything you do. I… I'm your friend, Natsuki"

"Don't lie to me…" Was all Natsuki would say as she turned around, walking back into the club room, Yuri lingering in the hallway, her mind so overwhelmed by the exchange, that her body forgot how to move! Leaving her standing there, motionless outside the club room, that look of sadness and hurt still present on her face as she just… stared off into oblivion, unable to comprehend what was happening around her.

Did… Did Natsuki really think Yuri saw her like that? Did she really think Yuri hated her? Did she really think Yuri saw her as nothing more than an idiot child? Something to just yell and scream at? To punish and scold over nothing?

Did she really think Yuri didn't take her seriously?

"Knock knock! Anyone home?" Sayori shouted loudly as she knocked gently on Yuri's forehead, treating it like a simple door, the light impact snapping Yuri out of her daze, Sayori staring at her oddly. "Oh, there you are! Welcome back to planet earth!" She giggled, still being unnaturally cheerful and happy. "We heard shouting and Natsuki came back looking really sad. You didn't hurt her, did you?" She asked.

"What? No! I would never!" Yuri denied vehemently.

"Oh… Good! I was just worried you were being mean to her again. I know it just happens and you don't go out of your way to do it, but your words hit her pretty hard sometimes. Harder than me or Aaron could ever hit. She really cares about how you see her, even if she won't admit it. You know, sometimes she goes out of her way to impress you too! Only for you to tilt your nose up and disregard her. Not a very nice thing to do, if you ask me" Sayori stated, giving Yuri insight over just how much damage she could do to Natsuki. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't hurt her feelings. I can't have my club members being sad and angry all the time" Sayori added, giggling slightly. "No, no. This is a happy place! Filled with happy thoughts! Everyone happy and friendly all the time! We don't like having those awful little rain clouds ruining our happy rays of sunshine! Right, Vice President?"

"Umm… Right" Yuri said as she hung her head low. "Sayori… Natsuki doesn't think I hate her, does she?" She asked, Sayori simply smiling widely at that.

"Let's just get back to work, okay? We can all talk about this later" Sayori dismissed as she opened the club room door, motioning for Yuri to enter the room.

"B-But…"

"I said. Back. To. Work!" She growled through gritted teeth, still smiling widely, that only making Yuri more fearful of her.

"Y-Yes, President. As you say, President" Yuri obeyed.

"That's my good girl. Always doing as she's told. Come on now, the audience won't wait while you laze around!" Sayori stated as she held the door open, Yuri sighing as she returned to the club room, stepping inside and looking around, her eyes scanning the room from wall to wall, seeing all the students and even a few faculty members that had shown up for the performance, all of them either sitting down on the chairs, on the floor, standing up or leaning against the walls.

As for Yuri, she did what she always does in cramped places. Found a small, shadowy corner and stood there. Out of the way as she kept her hands behind her back, gripping her wrists tightly.

The room wasn't exactly packed, but a fair number had shown up. Significantly bigger than what was originally anticipated, hence the lack of chairs for everyone. Whether tonight's turnout was due to a large interest in poetry, or simply the result of tedious advertising, or even solely due to the cupcakes, Yuri would never really know.

It was most likely the cupcakes though.

"Testing. Testing. One, two, three! This thing's on, right?" Sayori asked as she stood on stage, tapping her finger gently on the microphone mounted to a stand in front of her, a loan from the audio/visual club, a sound system to be used for tonight's performance and returned Monday morning after. "It is on? Awesome! Okay so, yeah! Welcome all to the literature club! It's so good to see everybody!" She greeted to the crowd energetically, her face still beaming with that bright, unnaturally positive smile, albeit slightly toned down. To the others, Sayori looked normal, but to Yuri, Natsuki and Aaron, it was… worrying.

Speaking of Aaron, he was standing on the other side of the room, near the table where the cupcakes were, having finally passed them all out to everyone.

He looked so… distressed. So out of it. So uncomfortable. Like he was in some foreign country. It looked like he didn't even want to be in the room anymore. Like he was planning to just walk away and go home. Honestly, Yuri wanted to do the same thing. After all of this, home would really be the only place she felt like she could be comfortable in anymore, the company of her family notwithstanding. We'll… We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Picking up from where we left off…

Yuri chanced glances in Aaron's direction constantly, her eyes peering across the room to look at him, only to retreat down to the floor the moment she thought he'd look back. For a brief moment, their eyes almost made contact with each other, only for the both of them to look away awkwardly, Yuri's cheeks redder than fresh paint as she hid her face from Aaron over and over again in embarrassment, him no doubt doing the same.

She wondered if she should walk up and say something to him. Try to talk about this or just… Just stand next to him and be silent. Just be in his proximity. In his presence. At his side. She was about to do just that too, only for her cowardice and fear to get the better of her as she over thought and second guessed herself over and over.

As for Natsuki, she was by Aaron's side, sitting on the table with the empty cupcake trays, her head buried in her notebook as her eyes scanned its pages multiple times, most likely trying to memorize her poem.

"So to start us off, I wanna share my poem. One which I've spent much time over. I'm super excited to present it to you all and not only do I hope you love it, but I also hope it gives you the courage to come on up and recite a poem yourself! Here we go!" Sayori shouted into the microphone as she flipped open her notebook, turning to the appropriate page as she sat on the bar stool, beginning to recite her poem.

"This one's called _My Meadow!"_ She announced, giggling slightly at the end. "Sorry about that. I giggled a little… Anyways"

* * *

 _ **My Meadow.**_

 _ **A poem by Sayori**_

–

 _Rainy days and cloudy skies all around? Not a single glimmer of sunshine to be found?_

 _Well, don't you worry your pretty, little head! Let's change the scenery! Go somewhere fun and new instead!_

 _Let's go to my meadow!_

 _Come with me and you'll soon see, my meadow's the place to be!_

 _Filled with singing birds and buzzing bees, grass that's all the way up to our knees!_

 _Tall, healthy trees as far as the eye can see, the perfect place to come spend some time with me!_

 _It's a place of peace, comfort and safety. A place where you can be yourself._

 _Relax and unwind. A place to just lay down and free your mind._

 _Open it up to the wonderful sights and sounds. The wonders and adventures waiting to be found._

 _Let's rest in the shade and watch the sun set. Don't worry, the rain clouds don't come here, so you won't get wet._

 _For a large dome encapsulates my meadow, keeping out the horrors of the world. The glass is bully proof, as you can see. Don't worry. They won't hurt you when you're with me._

 _For I am your protector. Your savior. Your guardian angel._

 _I pick you up when they make you fall. I help you walk when they force you to crawl._

 _No one can hurt you here, no matter how hard they try. There's no one here to get you angry, make you yell, scream or cry._

 _Spending our days in the meadow, you finally begin to see. My meadow is the place where you've always wanted to be._

 _My meadow is your home now. You know this to be true._

 _It's a safe space. A happy place._

 _For me…_

… _And for you._

* * *

Yuri sighed as she listened to Sayori's poem, hearing her recite it almost similarly to the way one would read a bedtime story to a child, her words filled with varying degrees of tone and pitch, changing whenever appropriate.

The poem itself wasn't bad at all. Too many rhymes and too simple of wording for Yuri's taste, but she could appreciate the message within it.

Right now, she found the idea of retreating to a safe space, fleeing to a personal sanctuary to be very, very attractive. Shame that Yuri doesn't really have one of those… Well, she did, but it didn't feel very safe anymore.

As for the crowd, they seemed to genuinely enjoy it, giving a moderate applause, smiles on their faces as Sayori stood up and took a bow.

"Thank you. Thank you. You're all too kind!" She said to the crowd as she enjoyed the praise for her work, Yuri looking in the corner of her eye to see Aaron and Natsuki side by side in their place in the far corner of the room, clapping as well, seeming to have enjoyed it themselves. As for Yuri… She didn't clap. Didn't want to.

It wasn't out of disrespect or anything. More out of fear, actually. Right now, she just wanted to blend into the background. Become a wallflower. Be seen and not heard. Preferred to be forgotten.

"Okay. Okay. Now, does anyone else wanna come up and read a poem of their own? Anyone? Anyone at all?" Sayori asked as she scanned the room, the crowd immediately going silent. "Oh… That's alright! No pressure. We'll just move on to our next member" She stated as she exited the stage. "Natsuki! You're up!" She called, her hand beckoning, a nervous look coming to Natsuki's face as she clutched her poem tightly, Yuri seeing her twitch and shiver a little.

"Hey. You got this" Aaron said in a reassuring tone, his hand patting her gently on the back like she did for him. "Remember, you're a pro" He said encouragingly.

"R-Right. I'm a pro. I'm a pro" She repeated, trying to reaffirm her confidence in her skills, her shaking seeming to ease, if only slightly. "I'm… I'm gonna give a performance so good, everyone in this room is gonna die of amazement!" She boasted to herself.

"I believe in you. You're gonna do great!" Aaron continued to reassure her, Natsuki nervously chuckling at that.

"O-Of course I am! I-I'm a pro, remember?" She stated as fact, breathing deeply, her look of nervousness immediately being replaced with a glare of manufactured confidence. A brave front, but a front nonetheless.

Manufactured or not, Natsuki still bravely marched onto the stage, readjusting the microphone stand to her height before uncrumbling and straightening her poem, clearing her throat as she prepared herself for the presentation, the audience waiting with baited breath for her performance.

She breathed deeply again, Sayori sitting in one of the available chairs in the front row, directly in front of Natsuki as she gave an encouraging thumbs up.

"S-So… Hi there. This is, um… This is my poem. I hope you all like it, even though I don't really care if you don't! But… Some kind words would be appreciated. But again, I don't need or really want your approval!" She said to the audience.

"Natsuki, poem please" Sayori urged her to just present already.

"Yeah. Yeah. Keep your pants on! I was getting to that…" She huffed.

* * *

 _ **Jump!**_

 _ **A poem by Natsuki**_

–

 _I see your worries and inhibitions._

 _I understand your greatest fears._

 _You're too scared to live life the way you want._

 _You fear their words will bring you to tears._

 _All your life, you're told what to do and where to go. Pushed and pulled by everyone else too and fro._

 _You're like a trained dog to them, letting them grasp your leash with such control._

" _Do as I say, animal! Sit! Stand! Roll!"_

 _You submit and obey because of fear. The shame they'd bring upon you. The words they'd shout that you don't want to hear._

 _The you inside. The real you. They hate it with a passion. And so, they must hold you down and change who you are constantly, like a girl addicted to fashion._

" _Screw those guys!" I say to you out loud. "Be who you want to be! Stand tall! Stand firm and be proud!"_

 _You look at me with confusion and even a little anger in your eyes, as if I preach blasphemy._

 _You couldn't be further from the truth though, as I am here to grant you amnesty._

 _Unlike them, I won't use your fears to bring you pain. Instead, I encourage you to face them head on and show you all the power you could gain!_

 _You just have to jump!_

 _Jump out of the darkness and into the light, let the real you come out and shine bright!_

 _Jump away from those people and come be with me! Together, we'll build you to be better, faster, stronger. You'll see._

 _I know it's not as easy as it sounds, but it's time for you to be firm and stand your ground!_

 _You're done letting them push you around!_

 _So please, don't be scared. I'll help you be free._

 _Jump._

 _Take my hand._

 _Please, come with me._

* * *

Yuri smiled weakly as she heard Natsuki recite her poem, genuinely liking the overall theme of it as she clapped lightly, only to be overshadowed by the applause of the others in the audience. It was much more acclaimed than Sayori's poem, garnering a much bigger applause, primarily from the females in the audience, as they seemed to enjoy it and the overall message much more than than the males.

Yuri herself didn't have much to complain about with Natsuki's poem. A strong message that while yes, was a little forced and often preached to death by others, was still rather powerful. She even went a step above and used much more sophisticated wording than what was usually expected of her, Making her poem not only feel passionate but much more mature when compared to her other works. All and all, Yuri was rather impressed by it.

She sighed a little bit, her smile disappearing as that word lingered in her mind. Impressed.

Was… Was what Sayori said true? Did Natsuki really try to impress Yuri, only for her to turn her cheek? Tilt her nose up like spoiled, arrogant royalty and ignore it? Disregard Natsuki as nothing more than an attention craving child?

It certainly felt like that to Yuri, Making her feel an unbearable ache in the pit of her gut as the guilt crept up on her, causing her to look away from the stage in shame, her eyes focusing on the ground instead.

She could hear Natsuki practically reveling in the praise from the audience, her actions akin to that of the winner of a beauty pageant, basking in the glory and praise from her onlookers, it being more than enough to inflate Natsuki's already massive ego.

Yuri scoffed at herself after that thought echoed in her mind, the pangs of guilt striking hard soon after. There she goes, putting the poor girl down.

In all seriousness, it wasn't that bad. Natsuki worked hard on her poem and deserved to indulge herself in the attention. It's just that… She has a tenancy to let it all go to her head. One of the last things Yuri would want would be for Natsuki to start hailing herself as the queen of poetry over a few cheers from total strangers.

Regardless, after Natsuki had her few minutes of attention, she was politely asked off the stage by Sayori, Aaron now readying himself to step up and present his poem, Yuri's ears perking up slightly at the idea of hearing his words.

"Beat that, scrub!" She heard Natsuki giggle playfully, bumping her elbow into Aaron. All in good fun, of course.

"I'll try my best" Aaron replied with a smile, unusually confident as he stepped up, the microphone adjusted to his height as he prepared his poem, his eyes looking out to the crowd in front of him before he breathed deeply as he prepared to read.

He just jumped right into it. Didn't bother to give an introduction like the others. Whether because he didn't have anything worth while to say or because he wanted the words themselves to speak to the audience, Yuri didn't know. She expected the latter though.

* * *

 _ **Dreams.**_

 _ **A poem by Aaron.**_

–

 _There was once a time where I was overjoyed by the thought of sleep._

 _My mind shutting down, turning off as I fall, drift away deep._

 _Disconnecting from the world and entering one of my own. A place where I'm safe, happy, at peace and alone._

 _The wonders I'd dream about, deep under in this state._

 _The visions I'd have. The art my mind would create._

 _Be it alternate realities, alien worlds or simply being with my friends._

 _My dreams were intricate stories with unique plots, starts and ends._

 _But now… Now not so much._

 _My gift of dreams has been… Corrupted. Tainted. Cursed._

 _As I awaken in fear every night, my brain feeling as if it will burst._

 _I used to dream of happy things. The stuff that would bring a smile to your face._

 _But now my dreams are night terrors, haunting what was once a beloved place._

 _They are dreams no more. Now demented visions._

 _Blood. Gore. Death. Suffering the likes my mind could never envision._

 _A rope round the throat. The deafening crack of a snapped neck. A knife forced deeply into the chest._

 _I awaken, kicking and screaming, sweat covered as the day dawns, pulling me from my rest._

 _Random nightmares? Or a secret message? A foreshadowing of events? A signal to warn me of something I can prevent?_

 _I may never know, for it is beyond my comprehension._

 _These little haunting visions filling me with such apprehension._

 _I fear to speak them in my waking life, lest they may come true._

 _The thought of such horrors upon us all… I don't know what I'd do._

 _For now, I persevere, no matter how grizzly the scene may be._

 _As I can find small comfort in the fact that such terrors are never truly upon me._

 _They are just dreams, after all._ _Harmless products of the mind._

 _I'm just glad my waking life is much, much more kind._

 _Peaceful. Quiet. With friends all around. As long as I stay awake, I'm safe and sound._

* * *

"Oh wow! That was great! Woo! Go, Aaron! That's my boy!" Sayori clapped from within the audience loudly, everyone else silent as they all looked at her with faces of confusion towards her overexcited behavior, Aaron blushing a little in embarrassment at the fact that only she applauded. "Why are you all looking at me? Clap!" Sayori shouted to the crowd, them immediately obeying, clapping loudly and cheering at Aaron.

It was genuine cheering of course, many people enjoying Aaron's poem, even if it was slightly more extreme than what everyone else had wrote.

Yuri loved it though. Loved every second of it, clapping just as loudly as everyone else, a wide smile on her face. Even Natsuki, who herself was very difficult to impress was clapping along, though with less enthusiasm.

"So… did I beat you?" Aaron asked her as he walked off the stage.

"Well, I wouldn't say you beat me. Not by a long shot! But… you did come a little close. Somewhat decent. Good enough, I guess" Natsuki smiled teasingly, Aaron chuckling at that. 'You're still nowhere near my league though! So don't get cocky!" She added, laughing along with him.

"Wow! That was really something, wasn't it? Just goes to show you that poetry can be about… anything really!" Sayori said as she stood back on stage, microphone in hand. "Alright, so now does anyone have any poems they'd like to share? Come on! Don't be shy! This is a judgment free zone!" She encouraged, the audience remaining silent as the faint chirp of crickets outside could be heard from the opened window. "Seriously?" Sayori asked, her smile finally fading away, replaced with a frown, disappointed that even after her club members showed and shared their work with everyone, nobody even thought of joining in. "Alright then… Our final performance for the night is from our vice president, Yuri" She announced, pointing to the little corner the girl had hid herself in this whole time.

As Sayori pointed to the corner, almost everyone's eyes locked on to Yuri, the many faces staring at her, causing her to quiver a little in discomfort.

"Well, come on. Get it over with so we can go home" Sayori demanded, her hand beckoning Yuri forward, only to have her command disobeyed as Yuri stood still, paralyzed. "I said… Go!" She grunted as she walked over to Yuri, grabbing her by the wrist and practically forcing her on stage, Yuri looking down at the audience with fear in her eyes, too terrified to even speak.

Her eyes were jittering like crazy, going from one corner of the room to the next, seeing all the faces staring back at her, waiting eagerly to begin, the pressure to put on a decent performance eating away at her confidence as she felt her knees weaken. Felt the beat of her heart quicken nervously as it pumped her blood at a dangerously fast rate.

As her eyes quickly scanned the many faces in the crowd, it lingered on Aaron's, Yuri seeing that he'd moved to the front of the audience, making gestures and motions with his hands, pointing at his eyes and then to Yuri repeatedly.

" _Look at me"_ He tried to convey. His eyes glaring at Yuri, not in anger but in determination. In confidence. Like a king delivering a grand speech to his subjects. _"Focus on me. There is only me"_

" _Only him…"_ Yuri said in her mind, locking her eyes on Aaron's as she breathed deeply, trying to drown out everyone else as she presented her poem.

"I… uh" She choked a little on her words. "I worked very h-hard on this. Stood up much later than I should have to finish it. I hope… I hope you enjoy it" She said to him as she prepared to read.

* * *

 _ **Afterimage Of A Crimson Eye**_

 _ **A poem by Yuri**_

–

 _The red glow of it pierces through the darkness like bullets piercing through skin, a slight illumination of the pitch black I am surrounded in. Trapped with no exit or path of freedom in sight. Bound captive by the glowing light._

 _I am held by no chains or shackles. No handcuffs or bindings._

 _For it is my mind that is keeping me stationary, forcing me to stare, transfixed at the unknown._

 _The red light with its soft, humming glow._

 _It pulses and beats, like a heart pumping blood. The light dimming and brightening as the pace quickens, turning into a blinding strobe._

 _And yet, like the simple minded creature I am. The dumb animal pretending to possess intelligence, I stare, transfixed. Fascinated. Mesmerized. Hypnotized. Captivated._

 _The light's hypnotic strobe calms. Slows as it gently bounces. Rises and falls, seemingly knowing what it has done to me._

" _Kneel" I hear deep within my mind, a voice not like my own. Foreign. Alien. Unknown._

 _I obey mindlessly, unknowingly so as the eye hovers closer, still brightly aglow._

 _The eye is in possession of a figure, shrouded in darkness. Owner of the voice that so rudely invaded my mind._

 _The glow illuminates the figure's body as it looks down on my kneeling form. A woman. Petite. Small. Hair snow white. The glowing eye attached to her forehead._

 _Three._

 _It pulses brighter and brighter, my eyes looking away as I scream in pain, like a fire has been ignited in my brain._

 _My mind is under attack! Being flooded with words I cannot comprehend. A voice shouting from within. Forceful. Dominant. Sadistic. Cruel._

 _This woman relishes in my suffering. The pain she inflicts on me, looking down and grinning with glee._

 _She commands respect. Obedience and servitude. Undying loyalty. Fealty._

 _I try to fight. Resist. Disavow! But my struggle is in vain._

 _She forces her hands to my jaw, gripping deathly tight, forcing me to stare, take in the blinding light._

 _The pulsing eye speaks to me… explains the wonders of the world without saying a word. Tells secrets of forbidden knowledge better off unheard._

 _It promises more if I follow and serve. Promises more if I obey and be given the life it says I deserve._

 _One a service. One of obedience. One of captivity, my mind being my cage._

 _The thought disgusts me as I try to escape, only for the eye to calm my rage._

 _It relaxes, pacifies and seduces, forcing me to bend to its will, the woman smiling, her mission complete as I am released, falling to the ground in exhaustion._

 _She stays by my side for a small time, gently stroking the skin of my forehead._

" _You'll be perfect" She said. "So much potential in store. Once you are made like me, you will see life as so much more" She then pulls out a scalpel from her pocket and hands it to me. Dirty. Rusted. Unsanitary._

" _Open your third eye" She commands her new slave, my body mindlessly complying, regardless of my thoughts as I feel the scalpel cut my skin._ _As the wound is made, I feel it from within._

 _My third eye opens… And my new life begins._

* * *

There was a moment of silence after Yuri finished reciting her poem, practically choking on the thick, stagnant air as she breathed nervously, the crowd in front of her just staring straight, looks of confusion on their faces, almost as if they needed a moment to even comprehend what they'd heard.

Yuri didn't see this however, as her eyes had remained locked onto Aaron the entire time, doing as he told her to.

It felt much better. Focusing only on him and not everyone else. Ignoring the glaring, scolding eyes of strangers and seeking out his instead. Presenting her poem, her words, her thoughts to him, the strangers in the room merely onlookers and nothing more.

Thinking at it from that mentality, it made the presentation much more easier for her. It made her feel even better as Aaron began clapping slowly, a smile on his face as a few of the other audience members clapped as well. Not a roaring applause like the others though. Small, quiet claps. Some even vocalized their satisfaction with simple words.

Words along the lines of _"_ _Oh, I get it"_ Or _"_ _Yeah, I kinda liked that"_

Compared to everyone else though, Yuri didn't receive much praise. Not as much as Sayori or Aaron and definitely nowhere near how much Natsuki received.

Still though, Yuri's literature was praised none the less. Even if only a small minority actually enjoyed her work, she was content with knowing that if anything, at least a few people enjoyed it. That being more than enough for her.

She took a small bow before stepping off the stage, her performance being the last for the night, the event now over as everyone stood up and exited the club room in a neat, orderly line, leaving the members of the literature club alone, almost ready to leave themselves and return home.

"Super amazing job, everyone! I'm so proud of you all!" Sayori praised loudly, shutting the door before making her way to the closet, pulling out two brooms along with a spray bottle of cleaning solution and a few rags. "Okay, team! Let's clean this mess up, put all the desks back and head home!"

"Wait a minute… Where's Natsuki?" Yuri asked as she looked around, not seeing her fellow club member anywhere within the room.

"Oh, you didn't know? She left early" Sayori stated. "She had a reason. A really good one too, but I can't remember what it was. I wasn't really paying attention. She left almost before you were about to go on though"

"She… She didn't even see my performance?" Yuri asked, a small frown on her face.

"No. Shame too. I would have loved to hear her thoughts on it. Especially after your little exchange with her outside!"

"Exchange?" Aaron asked as he looked at Yuri, her head sinking slightly into her turtleneck.

"Oh well. No real harm done anyway. You can just show her your poem on Monday. Than you and her can go back to being friends again!" Sayori stated, giggling a little as she smiled brightly at Yuri.

"She… She didn't even see my performance…" Yuri repeated as she looked down at the ground, saddened that Natsuki would just leave unannounced, not even bothering to wait for Yuri to present her poem, her thinking that to be the prime reason for Natsuki taking her leave.

Was she really so disgusted and angered by Yuri? To the point where she didn't want to even hear her voice? Didn't want to hear the words she poured hours upon hours of thought and work into? Even after Yuri had listened to hers?

Did she really despise her that much now? So much so that she'd abandon her friend when she needed her most? Or was this payback? Revenge for all the times Yuri had unknowingly done the same to her?

"Yes! As you said before! Just packed up her things and walked right on out! Didn't even bother to say goodbye either" Sayori said cheerfully as Yuri's head sunk lower and lower by the second, her frown growing more prominent. "Oh no! Do I see a little rain cloud hovering over my vice president?" Sayori asked in concern… or at least it sounded like that.

"Huh? N-No… I… I'm fine" Yuri said as she picked her head back up, sighing deeply before shaking her thoughts out of mind, trying to just forget about them. Drown them out. Ignore them "I just… Let's just get the club room cleaned so we can all go home"

"That's the spirit! Don't worry about the mess too much, guys. With the fou… I mean, three of us, this'll take no time at all!" Sayori said, smiling as she gave a broom to Yuri. "Aaron, you go get the desks from outside. Yuri, you start sweeping while I put away all these chairs!"

* * *

"Jesus Christ, It's freezing tonight!" Natsuki said, shivering slightly as she walked up to her house, making her way to the door and pulling out her house keys, unlocking the front door.

She hesitated a little before touching the knob though, a slight shiver of fear running down her spine as she thought of what would happen once inside. She then quickly pulled her hand away, digging into her pocket to pull out her phone.

"Oh shit!" She cursed silently as she saw the time. Eleven fifty five. Fifty five minutes past her curfew.

Her lips quivered slightly as she stood there on her porch, not exactly sure if entering the house would be the safest thing for her.

O-Okay. Don't panic. Everything will be fine. All she has to do is just calmly explain what happened. She just lost track of time. It just happens.

All she had to do was just explain. He… He'd understand, of course. He was a lot of things, but he was far from unreasonable. And even then, there was always the chance that he'd be asleep. Passed out on the couch or in his bed. And if she stays in her room for the rest of the weekend, out of sight and out of mind, it'll never be brought up!

Okay… She can do this.

She breathed deeply before firmly gripping her doorknob, turning it slowly as she opened the front door to a crack, her head peeking in. Lights out. Pitch black. The television wasn't even on. Good sign. Very good sign.

Her breathing grew shallow as she slowly entered her home, her shoes gently making contact with the wooden floor, ensuring that as little noise as possible could be made as she slowly snuck through her entrance way, walking on the tips of her toes, thinking that she just might be able to actually sneak in successfully for once, being in the clear once she makes it to the top of the stairs, slowly approaching the first step.

"And where have you been, huh?" She gasped in shock as the light came on, her eyes taking a moment to adjust as she saw a large man standing in the hallway, his arms crossed as he glared hard at Natsuki, seeing her quiver and squirm slightly in his presence.

"Um… N-Nowhere" She said meekly.

"Nowhere?"

"No! I-I mean… I was at the festival! Just like I said I would be! I was nowhere else. Honest!"

"Quiet!" Her father shouted at her, demanding silence from his daughter, her having no choice but to obey her parent, keeping her mouth shut as her father approached his daughter, the sound of his shoes clumping and clacking against the wooden floor causing her to sweat nervously as she looked at the floor, too fearful to meet his eyes.

"I told you to be home before eleven" He said simply, repeating the order he'd given before Natsuki had left. "What time is it?"

"Eleve…"

"Speak up!"

"Eleven fifty five!"

"Eleven fifty five…" Her father repeated, shaking his head in disapproval. "So, what's your excuse this time? Let me guess, you just lost track of time! Oh, it's okay! It just happens! You're only human!" He said tauntingly, his glare not leaving his face. "You were going to use that excuse on me, weren't you?"

"N-No…" Natsuki said, denying his assumption. "I was… I was working really hard for my club's event. The-The president! She's… I know she doesn't look like it, but she's a real taskmaster! Made me set up the entire event on my own!"

"Oh, is that so?" Her father asked. "You poor thing. Perhaps I should have a talk with this little club president?"

"No!" Natsuki shouted loudly, flinching a little as she saw her father's glare sharpen. "I mean… It wasn't really that bad. I may have been exaggerating just a little. And um… My friends helped me with the event so…"

"So you were lying to me" He called her bluff.

"What?! N-No! I wasn't!"

"You little bitch!" He cursed angrily, his teeth gritting hard. "All I asked for was a simple answer to a simple question! _Where were you, Natsuki? My darling daughter? My little baby girl? Where were you all that time? Where were you while your poor father stood here, alone in the house, worried about you?_ And what do you give me? What's your explanation? A fucking lie! A made up, fucking fabrication!" he shouted loudly as he clenched his fist, raising it in the air as Natsuki screamed loudly, falling onto the floor and curling into a ball, her arms covering her face.

" _Please don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me"_ She mouthed silently, her father sighing as he lowered his hand.

"The truth… Please" He asked politely.

"I wasn't lying. I really was at the festival and I was working! I just… I wanted to spend some time with my friends too. I was just…"

"So you were running around, playing games?"

"Y-Yes…" Natsuki admitted. "I… I really am sorry for lying. I didn't mean to. It just happ-"

"Shut up!" Her father shouted, his hand making contact with his forehead, rubbing it gently as he sighed in disappointment. "To bed! Now!"

"Y-Yes! Yes sir!" Natsuki said as she quickly picked herself up, walking upstairs and into her room.

"Lying little bitch…" She heard her father curse as he remained downstairs.

Natsuki sighed in relief as she entered her bedroom, locking the door behind her as she sank against it, relieved to have gone unscathed from her father's confrontation. She then stood to her feet and removed her backpack, throwing it onto the bed as she took off her clothes, changing into a set of light pink pajamas with white dots.

After changing into her sleeping clothes, she picked her backpack back up, unzipping it and pulling out the various stuffed animals that were gifted to her tonight, all of them being the products of hard work by Aaron in an attempt to fulfill his promise.

He didn't, by the way. Natsuki wanted twenty. She got eight. Nowhere near enough.

She chuckled a little at that as she cleared a space on the shelf mounted above her twin sized bed, standing on it as she carefully placed the stuffed animals on the shelf, giving names to the small toys before setting them on the shelf.

The giant panda. The one that Yuri had won for Natsuki. That wasn't going on the shelf though. No. That big boy was sharing the bed with Natsuki tonight! She'd find a proper place for him tomorrow though. Maybe mount a new shelf over her bed just for him.

She sighed as she looked down at it, a small frown on her face as thoughts of Yuri entered her mind.

Looking back… Maybe Natsuki went too far. Said things that shouldn't have been said and was too quick to take Sayori's side.

Honestly, looking back on her words and seeing the large prize Yuri had worked hard to earn for her, Natsuki shouldn't have said what she said. But… Just because she shouldn't have said it doesn't mean it wasn't true.

Though she knew Yuri didn't intentionally mean it, Natsuki did feel hated by her. Felt disregard and treated like an attention craving, over emotional child. Brushed aside and ignored whenever she was _cranky_ or _just in one of her moods._ Cast out from the rest of the group until she'd calmed herself.

She knew the other club members did it to her too, but Yuri was the worst when it came to this. And whenever the two sat together in a room or even shared air for more than a second, for everything Natsuki did, Yuri was ready and willing to scold, pointing out and getting agitated over the littlest of things.

So what if Natsuki sits at her desk with her legs lazily crossed? So what if she curses once and awhile? So what if she's a bit of a messy eater? So what if she likes junk food? So what if she's a little crass and impolite? So what if her writing style is cute? So what if she prefers simpler words? So what if she thinks tiny sentences work better instead of massive paragraphs? So what if she likes manga and thinks novels are boring?

She grunted a little in frustration before shaking those thoughts out of her head. Whatever. It was just a stupid fight. All Natsuki would have to do was wait it out for a few days. Keep her distance and stay out of Yuri's way. She'd forget all about it and move on eventually. For Natsuki, it wasn't worth fighting over.

She yawned slightly as she turned off the light in her room, climbing into bed with her new panda bear at her side as she laid her head on the pillow, covering both herself and her new friend in the blanket.

"Nighty night…" She said to it in a tired yawn before falling asleep.


	6. Late Night Visitor

Aaron yawned in exhaustion as he entered his home, flicking on the light switch to illuminate the dark living room as his legs moved of their own volition to the couch, muscle memory from the many times he's walked though the room guiding him as he tiredly rubbed his eyes.

He didn't bother announcing his return. There was nobody to really announce it to. No parents, siblings or roommates that needed to know that he was home. Just him. Him and his dark, empty house. He sighed as he lazily threw his leather jacket onto the floor before throwing himself onto the couch, his body loudly plopping down on the cushions, his head laying on one of the armrests as he removed his shoes, his socked feet finally free to breathe as he stretched out his toes before relaxing deeper onto the couch.

Tonight had really left him drained, both physically and mentally. His energy not only spent from partaking in the festival, but also due to the… interesting events that had happened. Well, interesting was the only word he felt was appropriate for now.

A lot had happened in such a small amount of time. Too much for Aaron's mind to process.

First, he had the whole poetry performance, and while he was happy that his poem was enjoyed by a few of the club's visitors, he didn't really think it would make any difference when it came to gaining new members. If anything, the only thing he felt the performance had actually accomplished was keeping everyone entertained for a few minutes. It was very likely that everyone who had attended the performance had already forgotten about it by now.

Aaron wasn't disappointed or saddened by this fact however. While yes, it was a little discouraging to think that the club had failed in their attempts to expand their roster, At least Aaron and the others got to have fun together for a few seconds, if you could call being trapped in a dark room filled with nervousness, anxiety and pressure while being forced to perform for total strangers fun.

He chuckled at that. Okay, it wasn't that bad. It was actually rather enjoyable for Aaron, presenting his poem and seeing the reactions from everyone. There was something relieving about expressing his work, finally showing his more poetic and deeper side to everyone, including his fellow members.

It was a side he really didn't know he had. After all, the whole writing poetry thing really just came to him on a whim. Just felt like a base craving. Something he felt he had no choice but to do. It was like second nature to him. Raw instinct. That didn't mean he was good at it though. No, when it came to writing poetry, Aaron had no shame in admitting that he was still just a novice, having felt as if he hadn't even scratched the surface of the art form when compared to more experienced poets.

I mean, take Natsuki for example. Her work was much better than Aaron's, garnering much more praise from the crowd. Now, he didn't see the whole performance as a competition or anything, but comparing himself to someone like Natsuki did show him how far he still needed to climb before he could reach her level of skill.

Odd, now that he thought about it. He originally assumed he'd be outclassed by Yuri…

Yuri…

God, he almost forgot about all that, the mere mention of her name alone being enough to cause him to shiver a little, the before mentioned phantoms of her touch, her body… and her lips returning tenfold.

He sighed as he sat up on the couch, changing to a more proper position as his palms met his face, hiding it as he breathed deeply, sighing again as he exhaled.

He was still having trouble trying to make sense of the whole situation with her. That intensive moment where she just… threw herself at him, forced herself onto him, only for the other members to catch them at the last minute, seemingly distraught by it, Sayori especially.

He was worried about her too. Very worried, the sudden shifts in behavior she displayed after catching Aaron and Yuri giving everyone the indication that something was very clearly wrong. It was just so… instantaneous. Unnaturally so. In less than a second, she went from shocked and surprised to deeply saddened, and then she just brushed it off and went back to smiling brightly and happily like nothing happened, worrying everyone else in the club in the process.

Aaron felt as if he should have talked to her about this. Should have asked if something was wrong, but fear got the better of him. Fear that even trying to discuss the subject with Sayori would make matters worse somehow. So, on the walk home, he just put his head down and stayed silent, his hands hidden in his pockets the entire time, Sayori having done the same.

Maybe tomorrow he'd try talking to her. Try to get down to the bottom of what was going on and see if he could fix it. Right now though, he was tired. Exhausted from the festival, his body needing to rest and recharge.

As he stood up from the couch and began making his way to his room, A knock at the door caught his attention, Aaron groaning at the idea of tending to company so late at night. Nevertheless, he changed course and walked to the door, not even bothering to check who it was.

When he opened the door though, all he saw was his front porch. Empty. Nobody in sight.

A late night prank. A harmless little joke done by immature children in order to get a laugh. Ha ha, very funny. So original too, Aaron simply huffing as he shut the door, walking back into his living room to collect his jacket and shoes, the knock coming back as soon as he did so.

Aaron groaned again, thinking that whoever had played their annoying little prank had come back for more, most likely assuming Aaron to be stupid enough to answer twice. Yeah right, he wasn't falling for that again. He was just going to ignore it. Walk right upstairs and go to bed.

Sadly, he didn't fall through with his plan as the person knocked on the door again, twice as hard this time, practically banging against the door.

He rolled his eyes as he walked towards it again.

"Oh… I-I um… H-Hi… H-Hello…" Yuri greeted nervously after Aaron opened the door, seeing her look down at the ground, avoiding eye contacts as her hands idly played with her hair, her fingers entwining and swirling the long purple locks, Yuri's breathing uneven, frantic actually. And don't even get started on her cheeks, blushing so brightly, you'd get the same effect if you dabbed red paint over them. "I um… I-I apologize for dropping by so unexpectedly and at such a late hour too. Plus, you may be completely exhausted from tonight and in no mood to entertain guests, which I understand wholeheartedly but… You know what? On second thought, never mind! I… I shouldn't be bothering you, especially not after all the trouble I caused tonight. I'll just-"

"Be quiet" Aaron interrupted as he put his finger over Yuri's lips, it now stained by the bright purple lipstick she still wore, only now slight faded and dried up. "I want you to think long and hard about what you have to say to me, okay? No rambling. No stammering. No choking on your words. Just say what you came here to say. And if you need a second to collect your words, that's okay. I'll be patient" He said as he pulled his hand away, Yuri breathing deeply as she gathered her words and thoughts, taking her time to focus on why she wished to pay her fellow club member such a late visit.

"C-Can I come in? Please?" She asked meekly, Her head finally rising up, allowing Aaron to see those bright orchid eyes of hers. He smiled at them as he opened the door fully, his hand motioning for Yuri to enter. "Thank you…" She said respectfully as she bowed her head, entering Aaron's home.

She removed her shoes and left them beside the door before following Aaron into the living room, him motioning for her to sit on the couch, which she did, sitting right in the middle, her frame barely taking up any room as she crossed her legs, her hands resting atop her lap.

"Can I get you something? Tea? Coffee?" Aaron asked.

"Tea, please" Yuri requested, not simply because she enjoyed tea more than coffee, but because she was honestly terrified of what the excess caffeine could end up doing to her system, especially in the fragile and… rather excited state it was already in, her heart beating incredibly fast, pumping blood through her body at an unsafe level, to the point where she was visibly shaking.

She tried to pass it off as simply the cold weather getting to her, though Aaron probably wasn't fooled. Still though, he didn't bother pressing her about it as he walked into the kitchen, rooting through his cupboards to retrieve the tea bags and a small kettle.

He was never really into drinking tea. Wasn't a big fan of coffee either, but ever since he joined the literature club, having a cup of tea kind of became a daily thing with not only him, but everyone else in the club, Yuri always making it for more than just herself, the others drinking mainly so it wouldn't go to waste.

Aaron used to hate the stuff when he first joined the club, and even now, he still had trouble holding it down without some form of sweetener in it, such as honey or sugar. That was to be expected though, tea was an acquired taste for some people, Aaron being one of them.

"Here you go" He soon returned to the living room, carrying a small tray with the teacups on saucers, the hot teapot in the middle, steam from the spout flowing into the air. He poured Yuri's tea first, than his own, adding the aforementioned sugar he'd need to help hold it down.

"Thank you" Yuri said as she took her teacup, taking a small sip, cautious not to let the hot tea burn her mouth. She relaxed a little as she swallowed, feeling the warmth of the drink run down her throat, calming her slightly. Oolong. One of her favorites. "I um… I hope this isn't an inconvenience for you. I'd hate to be a burden at such a late hour. Not to mention what your family would think if they caught me here at this time. Where are they, by the way? Seems a little late to be away from the home"

"I don't have a family"

"You don't?!" Yuri asked in surprise.

"Well, yeah I do! But… they don't really come around anymore" Aaron stated, sighing a little. "I kinda forgot about them"

"They're…" Yuri assumed.

"No. They're not dead. They're just… busy people. Really busy people" Aaron clarified. "They're away on business most of the time. Workaholics. Really dedicated to their jobs, so we don't really spend much time as a family"

"How often are they away on business?" Yuri asked.

"Too often" Aaron said. "They don't even live in the house anymore. They just pay the rent. Water. Electricity and everything else. They also send money for me to buy food and whatever else I need. It's been like this ever since I was born"

"Surely they had to spend time with you when you were younger. You can't just leave a child in a house on his own!" Yuri stated, unable to believe that Aaron could face such neglect from his family.

"No. They just gave me over to Sayori's family. Let them raise me while they went back to work. Then, when I turned thirteen, I moved back into the house. Lived this way ever since"

"That's awful" Yuri said.

"Nah. It's not that bad. You get used to it" Aaron said, a weak smile on his face. "What about you? What's your family like?" He asked.

"My family? They're dead" Yuri stated, was rather matter-of-fact about it too. Just outright said they were deceased like it didn't mean anything, almost as if such a detail was irrelevant to her. "It happened a long time ago. My father died in a car accident and my mother… My mother died giving birth to my little sister. Went into cardiac arrest as soon as she was born"

"Jesus Christ…" Aaron said under his breath, covering his mouth as he did so "I'm uhh, I'm sorry"

"Don't be. It was a long time ago. Talking about it doesn't bother me anymore. In fact, it helps me remember them" Yuri dismissed. "Me and my sisters live together now. I have a younger one and an older one who just graduated college. Works a modest paying job. We live in a nice, cozy little apartment in the city. We're very comfortable. Very happy"

"Well that's good" Aaron said, glad to know that unlike himself, Yuri still had family that were able and willing to spend time with her. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" He asked, having not even drunk his tea yet, it just sitting on its saucer the entire time, going from steaming hot to slightly warm.

"I um…" Yuri paused to itch the back of her neck nervously. "I wanted to apologize for everything" She said before sighing. "I just got… a little too excited when you said those things about me. I um… I wasn't thinking clearly. I wasn't acting right. What I did was… It was wrong. I shouldn't have thrown myself onto you like that. I should have showed more self control! But, when you said those things about me… Called me beautiful and mentioned that you had… thoughts about me, It triggered something within me" Yuri admitted, looking away from Aaron as she did so.

"Something… good?" He asked.

"I don't really know" Yuri said. "It doesn't seem good though, what with all the trouble it caused. Was it… good for you?" She asked back to Aaron, him replying only with silence. "I thought so…" She sighed again, her head moving off to the side, again looking away from Aaron as she sipped her tea. "You probably didn't mean what you said anyway. You were just saying that to cheer me up. To make me feel better. And like the idiot I was, I believed it and… forced myself on you. All over a bunch of little lies!"

"Hold on! I wasn't lying!" Aaron stated loudly as he stood up, looking down at Yuri. "I meant what I said back there. Every word. You really are intelligent, sophisticated and… beautiful"

"And… you have lewd thoughts of me" Yuri pointed out.

"Are you really going to make me admit that again?" Aaron asked as he sat back down. Why did he even say that? I mean, yeah, in the definition of the word, Aaron was by all rights, a pervert. But not publicly so. He was raised well enough to know that it was best to keep information like that, the fact that he's had thoughts about Yuri that aren't entirely safe for work, to himself.

Still though, it did get blurted out. And since this wasn't some video game he could reload when something went wrong, he couldn't take back what he said.

"No. Not if you don't want to. In actuality… I liked hearing that" Yuri smiled slightly, a nervous chuckle escaping her as Aaron looked at her oddly. "The fact that you see me as so… desirable, enough to make you think of me like that, it makes me blush a little. Kind of… excites me" She added, scooting slightly closer to him, unaware that she did so.

"What do you mean when you say it excites you?" Aaron asked as he cautiously scooted away, continuing to look at Yuri oddly.

"Oh! I… Uhh… What I meant to say was that… Umm. Th-That just came out and… Uhm…" She choked on her words again, nervousness and anxiety rushing through her body like raw adrenaline as she felt herself begin to shiver and tremble much more visibly, her breathing growing incredibly frantic, to the point where she was almost on the verge of hyperventilating!

"Whoa. Yuri, you're shaking! Is… Is something wrong?" Aaron asked in concern, his initial reaction to Yuri's odd behavior discarded as he saw the panicked state she had so suddenly entered. "H-Hey! Talk to me! What's the matter?!"

" _DEAR GOD! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"_

 _ **O̶̙̊Ọ̵̢̥̒O̸̲͓͙̽̈́͘O̸̘̾̽O̵̳̿̎O̴̤͙̅O̴̘͆̀Ơ̶̮͉̮̅ǫ̸̀o̶̫̐̔o̵̡͋̐r̸̦̃̈͘r̶̲͎͊͛͠ṟ̶̭͚̒̒̈́r̵̜͒̀̆r̷̗͒̃Ḙ̷͚͍̊È̷̙̈̍E̶̖̺͊̈́̽E̴̜̘̅e̷̟̽͝ͅè̷̬̠͕̀͆ ̸̘̦͍̏̊̾T̴̨̝̲̓̅̋-̴̲̬̼̈͊͝A̸͖̪̍ͅḲ̶̊̽E̶̺̼͖̚ ̴̦̔̃A̵͎͆̓N̸̩̻̅Y̴̯͚̭̿M̶̟̅̃M̸̛̳ͅm̷̧̜̯̃m̸̻̼͐̏m̶͇̲̭͌o̴̬͑ȯ̴̟͚̠͘̕ơ̷̦͍̅ő̷̜͙̾̎O̵̼͂̔o̵̅͜͜O̶̗̞͊̾͝o̴̰̠͌ȍ̶͈̙O̵͙͝O̷̖̖͛̃R̵̞̰͛Ę̷̂͒Ë̴̲̩̙E̵̡̡̟̽͛͝E̴̢̳͊̀!̵̮̳͛͐!̵̠̦́!̶̜̮̑̀̚!̴͔̼͆̇͛**_

 _ **̴͍͕̋ ̵̹̹̓̅̋ ̶͇̫͂ ̷͙̝̐ ̶̠̱͉̕ ̴̩̏̄͑ ̴̠̭̂ ̷̹̞̓̈̓ ̶͈̈ ̴͔͓͔́̇͝ ̸̺̬̿͊̈́ ̷̢̿̀̀ ̶̣̣̞͑̑ ̷̧̦̱͝ ̶̖͎̽̕͝ ̷͓̬͓̐͆̍ ̷̪̽ ̶̪̘̽ ̷̦̦̇͒̑ ̷̧̉̇ ̴̭̲̩̎̽ ̸͚̲̋̓͠ ̷̤͔̰͌̉ ̷̫̣̔̇̈́ ̴̡̫͎̂̑̚ ̴͓̮̎ ̵̡͓̱̄͋͛R̶̰͖̎̏̋R̷̢͙̗̋͋R̶̪̅̆Ṛ̵̟̇͊M̴͖̑̾̅ͅo̸̬̍̐ö̴̢͑͐ò̵̘͔͉R̴̯͌͌é̸͎͍E̸̹͖̐E̵̯̹̓!̵͎͕̖̈́͝**_

 _ **̷͇̅͘T̸͈̈̋̒Á̵̛̦̚-̸̗̟̳͑̄̎k̵̗̰͂́e̴͈̲̻̊̃̏ ̴̪͙̰͐̅̈́Í̶̜̣͓͒͂I̵̦̾̏Ȋ̸̥̟̻͠Ȋ̴̦̝̖̓Ȉ̷̳̠̬̚_̵̞͍̤͑̍͘T̴̹̹̏T̵͕͗̑̈́!̷͓͘!̴̮͓͓̇!̸̰̣̬͛̓͝ ̷̜̲̿̕ ̵̜̉͂ ̶̪̅̆̋ ̵̨͖́̋́ ̷̡̗̬̂ ̶̦͌̎**_

 _ **̶̡̏Ǐ̵͔̞ ̶̨̝̯̈̓C̸̩̖͒͘A̶̤̫̪̓N̵̨͓̒'̶̜̰͛́̕T̴̜́ ̷̙̬̫̔T̶̬̚A̵͍̬̲͋̔̂K̸̤͌E̷͈̯̋̀ ̸͇̓̑̚Í̴͖̃͠T̵͖̼͐͒ ̶̡̪̀͑A̵͇͝N̷̡̎͝Y̴̛͕͑M̷̠͖̈O̴̤̳̜̐R̶̳̞͇̈͑Ṛ̵̥͇̀R̸͚͒̅Ȓ̶̺͚̮̓R̵̛̙R̷͙̦͂̅͝R̶̛̘͉̮͗̎ ̶̥̼͉̊ ̵̨͚̓̂̅ ̶̥̱͉̀̄ ̸̡̺̃ ̴̝̼̌̇ ̵̨̞̮̐ ̶̮̣̓ ̸̱̓ ̴̜̆̿͝ ̸͙̘͠ ̸̧̣͌̿ ̵̗͌ ̴͍́̄̄ ̶̲̞̻͑̓̆ ̵̣̍ ̸̡̦͉̃̆̕ ̷͙̱͒̋͘ ̷̜̝͛͋̋ ̷̝̒ ̴̤͍̘̎̕ ̸͙̝͒ ̶̖͠ ̴̨̲̱͊̇ ̷̡̞̹̽́ ̶̼̜͑͑͊ ̷̪͛̿̚ ̵̖́R̴̢̹̀͝Ȓ̷͔̥̤̄̌R̷͈͕͂R̶̢̻̩̍͊͛R̶̖̆R̶͍̹͋̏R̴͖̒̾̚R̸̥̊R̵̞͓͆̊͘R̶͕̬̈́͆R̴̰̮̽̍̏͜E̸̪̲̋Ê̷͕̥̙̕Ë̴̳́̍E̶̙͕̍Ę̵̞̃Ē̶͎͖E̷͕̜̋E̷̦̿E̴̲͂ ̷̘̓ͅ ̵̳̒͌̈ ̷̡͋ ̸̼̬̣͌̆**_

"What the…? What just happened?" Aaron asked in shock.

"I can't! I can't do this! I tried, Aaron! I really did! I tried to be civil and mature about it! I tried to behave! I tried to settle this and put it behind me like an adult! But I just can't do it!" Yuri shouted loudly as she stood up from the couch, her hands entangling themselves in her hair, almost as if she was going to pull it out in frustration.

"Yuri, I honestly have no idea what you're trying to say to me" Aaron said as he stood up from the couch as well, walking right up to Yuri and looking her in the eyes, concern on his face. "All I know is, something's bothering you. What is it?" He asked.

"You!" She said simply.

"Me?" Aaron repeated. "What did I do to you?"

"Everything! I just… Give me your hand!" Yuri commanded as she forcefully grabbed Aaron's right hand, his cheeks beginning to glow red in embarrassment when he saw her move his palm under her breast! Only to then feel it… The beating. The pulsing.

Fast. Too fast, pumping blood throughout Yuri's body at a dangerously rapid pace, way too much for the average human to withstand, Aaron even able to feel the trembling, the twitching of Yuri's hands and fingers as she gripped his wrist deathly tight, as if holding on for dear life.

"This…" She said as she looked into his eyes. "You did this to me… when I kissed you on the rooftop. When you said what you said to me" She explained.

"I… did this to you?" Aaron asked, shocked to find out he had such a profound effect on her.

"I don't understand it myself, but when we shared that moment together… It felt like I was flying!" Yuri tried her best to explain. "I just felt so… free! Like a bird flying in the sky! The wind in my face! But… when it was over. When you pushed me away… I fell" She added, her head downcast as a small frown grew on her face. "It was a painful fall. So very Painful. It… It hurt so much"

"Yuri…"

"I know that it would never be your intention to hurt me. And you didn't! I… I hurt myself" She continued, silencing Aaron before he could say anything. "I don't even care about what happened back there anymore. I couldn't care less. But ever since the festival ended… The shaking, it's gotten worse! Much more worse. Nothing stops it! Not even when I… Not even when I use my other ways of calming down. If anything, I think that's only adding onto it!"

"O-Okay. So, the kiss is making you freak out. That's… That's understandable" Aaron stated.

"I can still feel it, you know! I can still feel your lips on mine! I can still feel the way you held me! The way your hands explored me in those few seconds of… pure bliss!" Yuri shivered visibly. "It's teasing me! Driving me over the edge until I have no choice but to fall! So much so, that I snuck out of my own home in the middle of the night over it! Over you! I… I didn't come here to apologize. I came here to… to be with you again. To talk to you. To hear your voice. It's like an impulse now. An irrational craving. An addiction! I don't just want it… I need it!"

"Are you saying that you've… fallen for me?" Aaron asked, Yuri finally seeming to calm down after her rant finished, having finally vented out everything.

"Y-Yes…" She admitted shamelessly. "Yes, Love. I've fallen for you. Fallen into the deepest, darkest abyss with no light to illuminate my surroundings! With no ladder or rope to climb out with!" She expressed, using such wording that was very similar to what was seen in her poems and other written works, Aaron originally thinking that to be an excerpt from one of her past works. "But…" She continued. "But you didn't fall for me. No. Instead, you were pushed. Thrown down the rabbit hole against your will. Forced without even the slightest show of consent. And here I am now, ranting and raving about how madly I've grown to desire you, only to now force you into something that must feel so… uncomfortable" Yuri realized, now regretting her long, passionate rant.

"Hey! Don't talk like that. I mean, yeah, it was little forced and… did kinda have a bad aftertaste. But-"

"So it's true…" Yuri interrupted. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I-I've forced you into something you don't want to be a part of. I'll… I'll make it up to you right now! You get to chose whether we go deeper into this or not! Whether you'll accept my love or… reject it, know that I won't think any less or more of you for either choice. I'll respect and accept it wholeheartedly! If this is not meant to be… than I'll just have to deal with it" She said, gulping nervously as her hands covered her heart, though not to grip at and clutch it like she had done previously, but to now shield it. Shield it from the cruel yet well deserved pain of rejection that she fully expected.

Aaron sighed. "You know, you really should have let me finish talking" He said, Yuri's ears perking up at that. "Yes, it was forced. Yes, it did have a bad aftertaste to it… and an even worse effect on everyone else. And no, you didn't get my consent… but I still liked it. I liked kissing you, Yuri. I liked being close to you. I liked talking to you. And the look on your face when I said you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever met, it was the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life" He stated with a chuckle, Yuri's cheeks blushing madly as she heard that, having never been called cute before.

Cute. Not a word she felt was fitting for herself, considering certain… hobbies and tendencies. Not to mention the gigantic breakdown and rant she just had. Not exactly cute behavior. And even then, being called such had made her compare herself to Natsuki, if only for a second.

She wore that label very often. Sometimes with pride. Sometimes not. Yet she was always deemed as such by everyone for everything she said and did, obnoxiously so, If Yuri was honest. To the point where she had associated the word with negativity. Loathe to speak it so openly.

But hearing Aaron say it. Hearing him brand her as such, the word instantly took on a new meaning. Was shed in a new light. Carried new connotations. It brought a smile to Yuri's face. A small one. An embarrassed one, one a girl would use when she hears her lover talk so highly of her in public. One you would use if you had your positive traits complemented and praised for hours on end. It made Yuri very happy, almost giddily so.

"You're doing it right now" Aaron stated with a smile, Yuri looking towards him as she shook herself out of the daze she'd been thrown in, making a mental note of the power Aaron's words had over her now, cautious not to fall victim at inopportune times, such as this one.

"You think I'm cute…" For all the resistance Yuri had though, she still couldn't help smiling. "So… Does this mean what I think?" She asked excitedly as her hands hid behind her back, nervously gripping her wrists tightly.

"I… I don't really know, Yuri" Aaron said, his cynical side preventing him from saying yes, an aching feeling running down his spine. A warning. A sign that something about this was wrong. He didn't know what it was though. "I want too. Really, I do. But…"

"I understand. I know we don't really know that much about each other. In actuality, we're friends only in namesake. Acquaintances at best. But, I still can't deny what I feel. No matter how rationally I try to view this. How cynically my mind shouts at me, scolding my foolishness, I just can't do it. I know it's too early to take such a drastic step. I know it's all moving too fast for this to be healthy, but I'm still willing to try anyway. I'm eager, a little too eager, to see where such a change in our relationship will take us" Yuri stated, lightly giggling after. "God, just thinking about it. Romanticizing something so… simple. So common and customary yet so… terrifying. This rite of passage that anyone who desires happiness and success must take, it feels like an adventure! My own personal epic! Makes me want to write about this. Write about this grand journey I'm destined to have, either now or later in life. Aaron? Will you join me on this expedition? Will you be my partner in this journey? My companion? My lover?" She asked, Aaron not initially responding.

He was unsure if saying yes was the right call. As stated before by Yuri, she and him were really only friends in namesake, not connected enough on a personal level to justify such rash actions. To upgrade their relationship so recklessly, without even establishing it first.

There was a chance, a big chance, that this would end badly for one or both of them, both of them having the potential to learn or see something they disliked or hated immensely in each other, inflicting disastrous pain on one or the other as they cut ties. A lingering pain. A gut wrenching ache. A permanent wound. An injury that you never heal from, only learn to ignore.

To be set up for that kind of hurt, the danger always there. Felt yet never seen… Aaron didn't think he could handle that and remain himself, should such a thing happen. Should he become the victim of such pain. Didn't think he could bear to inflict it either, especially on such a kind, gentle girl like Yuri. To him, it would be akin to torturing a small kitten, Aaron viewing himself as a monster were he to do such a thing. Were he to hurt someone as fragile and sensitive as her, be it intentional or not.

Still though, as scary as the danger behind it was, he was attracted to the idea of a relationship, as a majority of boys his age are.

Aaron was a unique case though, being much more lonesome than other boys. He didn't have many friends, only one, actually. And she… She wasn't exactly approachable right now. His family was basically nonexistent, neglectful, Aaron almost feeling abandoned by them even.

As you could imagine, to a lonely soul like him, the idea of having a girlfriend, a companion like Yuri, it was very appealing to Aaron, almost to the point where he didn't bother to care about the risks. Didn't bother caring about the possible consequences. Was definitely dismissive of the way his fellow club members would react.

To start a relationship. To be happy and in love with someone who loved him back. To shower in affection and be showered in return. He wanted that. He wanted to feel that feeling. Wanted to live that life, if only for a short while. Wanted to see if the near limitless amounts of fictional stories and tales of love held any real truth to them.

He just… He didn't want to feel alone anymore. Didn't want to have the only person to confide in and open up to be the one girl he's known since birth. Didn't want to spend a majority of his young life alone anymore. Didn't want to look on at the other boys his age, surrounded by friends and lovers of their own, thinking _Why can't that be me?_

" _No more…"_ He said in his mind, finally reaching his decision. It was time for a change. A real change. Happiness, true happiness, was at his doorstep, begging to come inside and Aaron wasn't about to turn it away, even if harboring it had the potential to bring hurt in the future. If anything, he would be glad to experience the initial comfort before such pain set in.

"Yes" He said warmly, a large, inviting smile on his face. "I want to see what happens. I want to see where this goes. I want to explore these feelings deeper… And I want to explore them with you, Yuri" He stated, the words just flowing naturally out of his mouth, him saying them without thought, not even requiring such a thing. This wasn't his rational, sensible mind talking. This was his heart.

Yuri's eyes spread wide as she heard Aaron accept her love, gasping in shock before smiling widely, nearly unable to believe that Aaron would be willing to not only accept but also return her love. "Oh… Oh, Aaron!" She said loudly, pure happiness in her voice. "I… I don't have words for how much this means to me! I've wanted something like this, someone like you, for a long time"

"Yeah… I've wanted the same thing too" Aaron smiled back, his arms spreading out wide, inviting Yuri to come closer, her doing so as she wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling herself into him and holding on tightly, hugging him. Aaron gladly hugging her back, finally feeling Yuri's touch again, the ache from her phantoms now gone, replaced with the real thing. "I'll take good care of you. I promise" He said softly.

"I promise too. To love, honor and cherish. This is my code now. My principle. My purpose in life. The reason for my existence. I will allow these simple words, this tiny sentence, to override my morality. To change my ideology. My values. My virtues. My ethics. My perception of right and wrong. My understanding of good and evil"

"Jeez, Yuri. We're starting a relationship, not getting married. You don't need to go that far" Aaron stated as the two pulled away from each other.

"I want to. I want this relationship to be one of love. Real, true love. And to make that so, I must hold myself to those standards, extreme or not" Yuri said intently as she looked Aaron in the eyes. "So, um… Can we… Can we kiss some more?" She asked shyly, Aaron chuckling at the idea of Yuri needing permission to kiss him.

"Sure. Come here" He said as he beckoned her towards him, Yuri eagerly approaching, feeling him gently grip the sides of her waist, holding her as she grabbed his shoulders, the new couple looking into each others eyes for a few seconds, enjoying the sight of each other before leaning in, their lips puckered as they made contact once again, Yuri shivering slightly as she felt the warmth of Aaron, her body seeming to forget how to stand as her weight was shifted onto him yet again, the two falling backwards, landing gently on the couch, Yuri on top and Aaron on the bottom, their embrace uninterrupted by their little tumble.

This kiss felt much better for both of them. More gentle. More comfortable. More natural. Warmer. Softer. Less… forced than the last one.

Back there, Aaron had submitted to Yuri's kiss, having resisted it initially. Now, it felt… mutual, for lack of a better word. Easier to accept and go with. There was consent in this one. And that consent bred a sense of comfort and ease. A feeling of relaxation. Safety.

The other one was the product of sensory overload. Something they had done only because the hormones within their bodies had become too intense to ignore, forcing them to obey their instincts. Their lust.

But this. This was better. Easier. Cleaner, if such a word could be applied. There was no shame in this. No weight. No feeling as if they should stop. No debating whether this was good for them or not. No difficulty. No judgment from certain onlookers either. No, this was just them. Them and their moment of intimacy, Aaron feeling as if this was the real thing. His real first kiss.

He felt a little shiver pulse through him after feeling Yuri's hands move from behind his head, making their way slowly down to his chest, the buttons of his white collared shirt slowly undone one at a time before he felt the touch of Yuri's fingers on his bare skin. Cold. Very cold, but exhilarating nonetheless, Yuri's fingers tracing small, slow circles on Aaron's chest, under his collarbone as she continued kissing him.

After he had become shirtless, Yuri's hands began to do the same to herself, reaching down to the hem of her tightly fit, crimson red turtleneck, gripping it and moving it up, her midriff exposed as she slowly pulled it further and further up, the fabric so tight around her body that it practically clung to her skin, Yuri pulling away from Aaron in order to fully remove her sweater.

That was when he saw it.

"Holy shit!" Aaron shouted in shock as he saw Yuri shirtless. "What the fuck?!"

"What? What's wrong?" Yuri asked in confusion, unaware of why Aaron would be so surprised to see her without her sweater on. What? Had he never seen a semi-naked woman before? Had he never seen the nearly exposed chest of one? Nearly exposed, mind you. Yuri still had a bra on. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked again, Aaron too shocked to speak, Yuri glancing down at herself, only to scream loudly when she understood Aaron's shock.

The arms… He saw them. The cuts. The stabs. The wounds. She… She forgot about those. Forgot all about the marks she had previously been so vigilant of. So adept at hiding from everyone, having forgotten their existence in the heat of the moment.

"Yuri, what happened to you?!" Aaron asked, Yuri quickly turning herself around, her arms brought to her chest as she hid her face in shame, Aaron only able to see her back as she scrambled to put her sweater back on.

"Nothing! Nothing happened! Don't look at me!" She shouted loudly. "I… This really was a mistake. I… I need to leave!" She said as she made a break for the exit, practically running to the door, Aaron running after her, quickly chasing her to the front door, fast enough to slam his hand on it and stand in front, preventing Yuri from leaving, an assertive, dominating glare on his face, Yuri quivering a little as she saw it.

She took a few steps back in fear as Aaron blocked the exit, her head swiveling as she looked for an alternate way out. A back or side door. Sadly, none were to be found.

"Your arms. What happened?" Aaron asked, his voice quiet. Soft. Concerned. He didn't want to yell too loudly and scare Yuri. "Please, tell me"

"Nothing! Nothing happened!" Yuri denied initially. "I… I was attacked! By a wild animal or… something!"

"You're not a good liar, Yuri" Aaron shook his head at her. "The truth, please"

"I… I don't want to tell you" She refused, turning her back to him again. "You wouldn't love me anymore" She stated lowly.

"Look… I'm new to these whole relationship things. But they're all about trust, right?" Aaron asked, Yuri looking over her shoulder as she heard that, Aaron sighing once he saw the fear in her eyes. She looked so… terrified. So scared and afraid. Like she was about to be executed. "If you want this relationship to be genuine, you have to have trust in me and I have to have trust in you. But don't you think that's pretty hard when you lie to me and refuse to talk? I meant what I said when I promised to take care of you, but I can't do that if you won't let me" He stated.

Yuri sighed as she turned back to him and rolled up her sleeves all the way, right up to her shoulders. Thankfully, all the damage seemed to be only on her forearms, everything from the elbows up untouched.

"I'm sorry" She apologized, her eyes refusing to look at Aaron, instead downcast to the floor. "I did this. I did this to myself" She revealed, an unbearable feeling of filth and disgust in herself coursing through her as she admitted her vile secret.

"You cut yourself? Why?" Aaron asked as he held his hand out to Yuri. "Can I… Can I please see?"

"No!" Yuri said fearfully as she brought her arms to her chest, Aaron able to see her lips quiver in terror, asking himself why. Why was Yuri so suddenly terrified of him now? So fearful to even gaze at him, now not wanting him to touch her.

Was she afraid that seeing her body in this state would anger him? Was she afraid that because she cuts herself for… whatever reason, she no longer had his love? Did she assume Aaron would now dump her once he learned he was in the possession of _self damaged goods?_

"Please…" Aaron begged. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I just want to see" He stated, his hand still held out, Yuri gulping nervously as she slowly stretched her hand out for Aaron to take, feeling him gently hold it by the wrist with one hand, the other slowly gliding over, but not touching, Yuri's arm, his eyes carefully examining the damage.

There was a lot of it. Many, many different wounds of varying shapes and sizes. Everything from small paper cuts to full lacerations, her entire forearm covered in slashes. Some of them were so… extreme, that Aaron was amazed to see that nearly none of them were on the verge of infection. That was most likely due to luck though, as Yuri's arm didn't look to have any of its wounds treated before.

It was sickening. The sight of all that damage. All that pain. Enough to make him regurgitate, Aaron never liking the sight of blood or damaged flesh. His disgust wasn't in Yuri though. Wasn't in the fact that this… horror was self inflicted. He just never liked the look of wounds, even now after he's grown up.

"Please talk to me" He said calmly, more than willing to tear his eyes away from Yuri's arm, his focus brought to her face. "Why? Why do you do this?" He asked.

"I don't even know anymore…" Yuri looked away, unable to face Aaron. Disgusted in herself. "I… I get excited sometimes. Get more than a little worked up and… it's not exactly easy to hide. You saw that yourself, didn't you? When I came in here, I was a mess. I was shaking and rattling and… I couldn't control myself"

"And you think this helps?" Aaron asked.

"Somewhat. It calms me down. Forces my body to stop. Finally gives me control over myself. But, not in the way it should. It's not a negative reinforcement thing. It's… something else"

"Something else…" Aaron picked up. "It's not… a sexual thing, is it?" He asked, Yuri gasping at him in shock, that telling Aaron all he needed to know. "Say no more. I get it" He stated.

"I'm… I'm disgusting! I'm fucking disgusting!" Yuri shouted as she hung her head low, her hair hiding her eyes from Aaron. "I'm a filthy, disgusting, masochistic freak! Repulsive, degenerate scum! I should be locked away! Kept in an asylum and far away from the normal people!"

"Hey! Stop that! You are not a freak, Yuri! You're not disgusting either. You're just… different" Aaron said, his hands having moved away from her arm, gripping her shoulders now as he forced her to look him in the eyes.

"I treat self harm like it's masturbation, Aaron! I get off to cutting myself! I'm the very definition of a freak!" Yuri shouted loudly.

"No! You're not!" Aaron shouted back, his voice much louder than hers, calming down and lowering his volume before speaking again. "You just… have a bad habit. Everyone's got something like that. We just need to break you out of it. And I'll help with that" He stated, Yuri's head picking itself up once she heard that.

"What? What do you mean?" She asked, Aaron going silent after that, unable to actually define what he meant.

"Yuri? Do you bandage your wounds?" He changed the subject instead, Yuri's head going down again.

"N-No…" She said. "I know I should, but I never find the time. It's a miracle that I haven't suffered an infection yet"

"How recent are these?"

"Fresh. Too fresh. I-I needed to… calm down before I could talk to you" She admitted, Aaron nodding once at that as he slowly took Yuri's hand into his, leading her back to the living room, sitting her down on the couch.

"I'll be right back. Wait here. Don't move" He commanded as Yuri sat on the couch, her sleeves still rolled up, arms still exposed as Aaron ran upstairs, only to return soon after, a small, white plastic case bearing a red cross in his hands. A first aid kit. "Give me your arms again" He commanded once more after opening the case, Yuri initially reluctant, yet eventually doing as told, her arms stretched out as Aaron went to work. "This might sting a little" He warned as he cleaned Yuri's wounds, hearing her gasp through her teeth in pain as he applied the healing ointment, being meticulous yet gentle as well.

He treated Yuri as if she was a wounded bird, being firm so that she wouldn't fly away, yet gentle so he would not hurt her as he tended her wounds.

Finally, his treatment had concluded, the damage tended to and properly dealt with, the cuts, gashes and lacerations now covered by the tightly fitted bandages that wrapped around Yuri's forearms, her looking at them oddly.

"Never take these off" Aaron said as he took her hands into his own once again, Looking into Yuri's eyes, so intently that it almost felt as if he could see through them. "I'll be very upset if you do. I want you to get better. I don't ever want to see you like that again, you understand?"

"Y-Yes. I understand" Yuri said meekly.

"Listen, I'm not mad and I'm not disappointed in you. I'm just concerned and worried. That's all" Aaron stated. "I know you do it because you can't control yourself sometimes, but that's going to stop right now. If you ever feel like you need to calm down, don't do this anymore. Just… Just come to me! Okay? We'll find a better way. A safer way. A happier way"

"Okay… Thank you, Love. Thank you for taking care of me" Yuri said as she raised her head up, shifting her gaze from the bandages to Aaron, able to see the soft smile on his face. The look of care and love in his eyes.

"You're welcome" His said softly as he scooted himself closer to Yuri, their bodies against each other as Yuri laid her head on his shoulder. "You wanna go back to kissing now?" He asked casually, Yuri moving her head away to show him her smile.

"Nothing would make me happier" She said as she brought her lips to his again, wasting no time in attempting to rekindle their passionate moment, picking up right where they left off, their bodies moving exactly as they had done before, as if their entire moment had been rewound. On instant replay.

Yuri even removed her sweater again, revealing her figure once more. Not exactly hourglass shaped, but very close, Aaron's hands memorizing the shape of her as they caressed and stroked the soft, pale skin, Yuri moaning softly as she felt him explore her body, her doing the same to him.

As she kept kissing him deeply, her hands moving around and exploring nearly every inch of his body, feeling his exposed skin as he felt hers, she could feel herself begin to heat up a little, her heart beginning to rush again, pumping harder and harder, faster and faster as they continued their passionate embrace, Yuri moaning and groaning louder and louder as the seconds passed, feeling herself getting hot and bothered as her hands subconsciously moved further and further down Aaron's body, having a mind of their own as Yuri felt them undo his belt.

"Whoa!" Aaron said in shock as he tried to gently push Yuri away, only for her to possessively cling to him, latch on tightly in defiance to his protests.

"Oh fuck…" Yuri cursed. "Oh god, Love. It's happening again! My body is going wild for you! Being disobedient! I… I can't hold back anymore!" She said, breathing in and out heavily as she felt the excitement come on. "I can't help it, Love. My body wants you! I want you! I know it's so sudden… but will you indulge me? Will you let me enjoy you?" She asked, speaking directly into his ear, Aaron tensing up as he heard that.

"Are you… Are you asking me to have sex with you?!"

"Oh yes!" She shouted immediately. "I'm sorry, Love! So sorry! But I can't help it! I'm aching for you! Every fiber of my being is screaming your name! Take me! Take my body! Take it now! It's all yours!" She begged, whimpering heavily as she released Aaron, only to spread herself out on the couch, spread her body out to display it to him. "If you don't… I don't know what might happen. My blood feels like it's boiling! I feel like I'm about to explode! And it's scaring me!" She added, a pleading look in her eyes, eyes now glazed over with lust and want.

"C-Come on, Yuri! I don't… I've never done something like that…" Aaron revealed nervously. "I don't even know what to do if I…"

"Neither do I, Love!" Yuri interrupted loudly. "I wouldn't know the first thing! I'm as inexperienced and uninformed as you are! But we'll figure it out as we go. This is nature, after all… A vital part of our lives. An integral part of our species survival. It should come naturally. Like eating, drinking, breathing and sleeping. We just have to let go and… let our instincts guide us. Let them command us. We just have to obey our bodies!"

"I-I don't even have any protection! I could… I could get you pregnant, Yuri!" Aaron shouted loudly.

"No, you won't!" She shouted back. "Don't worry. I already saw to that before I even came here! I'm on pills! I'll be fine!" She stated.

"Wait… You took birth control before you even came to my house?" Aaron asked, offended as Yuri sat up on the couch, a look of fear on her face, worried that she had invoked Aaron's anger. "What? Did you automatically assume that I'd put out for you!?" He shouted in offense.

"Wh-What?! N-No! Never! I'd… I'd never think so lowly of you, Love! You have to-"

"Relax" Aaron interrupted, his tone and volume lowered. "I'm just teasing you. Don't take it so seriously" He chuckled.

Though he was having a few seconds of fun, he was still genuinely afraid of what was happening. Aaron was still a virgin and… so was Yuri too. And they had only just started their relationship! Wasn't there supposed to be a slow and steady build up to this? What happened to laying the foundation before you start building the house? What about establishing ground rules first and just getting a general feel for each other before taking such drastic steps?

Though… Aaron knew that Yuri was a special case, especially after the whole self harm thing had been revealed.

It was confirmed by her herself too. It was a sexual thing. A fetish, even if it most likely didn't start that way. Yuri got a high from it. If Aaron rejected her, she'd just go back to cutting herself to get her pleasure. She may even make it worse too, hurting and tearing herself much more extremely in order to get a greater feeling of euphoria.

As much as Aaron felt like he wasn't ready for this, he didn't want to push Yuri away, only to have her resort to cutting herself again so she could get off. So… he had no real choice other than to comply, lest he wanted his new girlfriend to go back to hurting herself, which he didn't.

Might as well play along then…

"You know something I really like about you, Yuri?" He asked as he moved closer to her, his hand grasping the back of her neck, pulling her into him as he leaned into her ear. "The way you look when you get all flustered and anxious… _It's so goddamned cute"_ He whispered softly in her ear, the words causing Yuri to shiver as she fell backwards on the couch, whimpering as she spread herself out again.

"Oh God…" She groaned as she laid on the cushions, being called cute practically making her quiver. "I can't bear it anymore. Please, Love… I need it!" She begged, unable to take much more, Aaron sighing as he prepared, getting right on top of Yuri, her face coming alive as soon as she was given what she wanted. "Oh God, it's actually happening!" She shouted excitedly. "You're actually going to do it! You're actually going to take me! We-We're actually going to have sex! Maybe even make love! Oh Aaron! Oh Love!"

"Shh… Be quiet" Aaron whispered in her ear, Yuri immediately silencing herself, tightly sealing her mouth shut, her teeth pressing down on the inside of her lips as Aaron breathed nervously, not even knowing where to start.

Well… it was as Yuri said. This was nature. Something his body was made to do. It was supposed to come as naturally as eating or drinking. All Aaron really had to do was just let his instincts think for him. Obey his body.

He figured that he'd start with what he was familiar with, kissing… Leaning down over Yuri as his lips came into contact with hers, as they had done before, Yuri moaning into the kiss as her arms wrapped around Aaron's neck, greedily pulling him closer as he felt her right foot drape itself over his waist possessively, her body shivering and shaking as Aaron's hands slowly ran down her back, making their way to the straps of Yuri's laced purple bra, undoing the little clasp at her back, causing the bra to fall off, Yuri's breasts released, free for Aaron to see.

His lips moved away from hers as his hands continued running down her body, making their way down her sides before reaching her waistline, his hands grasping at her leggings as he slowly pulled them down, her panties going along with them as Aaron's lips began trailing down Yuri's body, gently kissing her cheek, going down her jawline, her neck, her collarbone until they arrived at her chest, Aaron pushing his head into her breasts, kissing them as he made his way to one of her nipples, Yuri shuttering in shock as she felt him take one into his mouth, sucking gently as his thumb played with the other one, just circling it, stroking it gently, Yuri moaning and groaning audibly, bliss and euphoria running wild through her, making her feel as if she were in heaven.

"Oh, Love… Stop… Stop teasing me and give me what I want already!" She shouted loudly, desperate for Aaron to move on from his torturous foreplay, whimpering as she felt Aaron stop, removing himself from Yuri's breasts.

"You're sure this is what you want?" He just wanted to be safe.

"It's what I need…" Yuri begged desperately, assuming the position, her legs spreading apart, Aaron sighing as he removed his pants, Yuri's eyes going wide at the sight of his erect cock, a beautiful sight in her mind, a sight that not only excited her greatly, but also filled her with a small sense of pride. Accomplishment even. Pride in knowing that its stiffness was because of her. Because Aaron was aroused by her. Because he thought she was sexy. Because he thought she was beautiful. Because he desired and lusted for her just as much as she did for him.

"I'm ready… Take me, Love…" She said yearningly, Aaron gulping nervously as he positioned himself, initially reluctant to enter Yuri, though eventually forcing himself to fall though, inserting himself into her, Hearing her yelp in pain as he penetrated her, that yelp causing Aaron to jump in fright.

"Oh my god! I'm sorry!" He apologized, thinking that he had hurt her as he tried to pull out, Only for Yuri to quickly grab his waist, pushing him back.

"No! No, it's okay! Don't stop! Please! Please don't stop!" She begged, whimpering and mewing as her hands tightly clutched the cushions of the couch, the initial pain from Aaron's insertion soon overshadowed by the mind numbing ecstasy, the pure pleasure she felt as Aaron began rocking, going in and out, up and down as Yuri moaned louder and louder, feeling her climax coming on, Aaron initially wanting to pull out before then, only to have Yuri stop him. "No! No don't go, Love! Stay… Stay in me. I want you to finish what you started! You have to!" She was practically yelling at this point.

"You have to do this! To cum inside me! That's… That's how you claim me! That's how you mark me! That's how you mark your territory and let all the other males know that I'm yours! That I belong to you!" She yelled loudly, the idea of being claimed by Aaron turning her on more than she already was. "Oh God, that's so fucking hot! Oh Aaron!" She screamed as she felt the orgasm rock her, Aaron finishing inside her as they came together, the two practically collapsing onto the couch, panting heavily as they reveled in the afterglow.

"Yu… Yuri?" Aaron asked, panting as he tried to sit up on the couch, having a little trouble initially. "You okay?" He asked.

"Oh Love… Oh, that was heaven. It feels as if I've been reborn!" Yuri sighed happily, nearly unable to feel her body, it being too numbed by the pleasure. "Thank you…"

"Well, I'm glad one of us had fun" Aaron scoffed as he sat on the couch, Yuri finally able to pick herself up, looking at Aaron oddly.

"Did you… not enjoy it?" She asked, a small frown on her face as she moved closer to Aaron, laying herself down on his back as her hands wrapped around his torso. "Love… Talk to me. Please. Have I hurt you?" She asked in concern.

"No. No, it's not that. I just…" He sighed. "That was just a little too… intense for me. I… I wasn't ready. Everything went by too fast. And if I said no, you'd just go back to cutting yourself again. I-I know it's not your fault, but you kinda made me feel like a hostage, Yuri" He admitted, Yuri gasping lightly as Aaron compared himself to that of a hostage.

"Oh Love… I-I'm so sorry" She apologized. "You have limits. Boundaries. Things you aren't comfortable with yet. And I… I ignored them. I ignored your limitations and practically forced you to do something you weren't ready for" She realized. "Oh God! Oh my god, I just raped you! Oh God, I'm a rapist!" She panicked, the little shivers of pleasure from before now replaced with disgust, Yuri now revolted by her act, feeling as if she was about to vomit.

"What? N-No! You didn't rape me! I… I agreed to it! I just… I wasn't exactly prepared, that's all!" Aaron stated, trying his best to calm Yuri down. "This is a common mistake! At least I think it is… We just need to be more aware of each other. We need to be more understanding when it comes to each others needs and limits. This is all part of exploring our relationship, Yuri. We're learning. I'm sure tons of other couples have done the same thing"

"S-So… I didn't rape you?" Yuri asked, sighing in relief. "Thank God, I don't think I could have lived with myself if I actually did that!" She chuckled nervously, brushing a stray lock of her hair behind her ear. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine" Aaron said with a small smile, letting Yuri know that everything was alright.

"Well… I think I've taken up enough of your time. I should… I should be going now. It is rather late. In fact, I think the sun is going to rise in the next few hours. My sisters are probably worried out of their minds. I should… I should go" Yuri said as she stood up from the couch, having a little trouble finding her balance, her body being slightly… tender.

"Um… You don't have to" Aaron stated, Yuri pausing as she turned to look at him. "I mean… It's a little dangerous to be walking home alone so late. Why don't you… spend the night here?" He asked, Yuri's eyes jolting up slightly as his proposal. "You can stay here for the night and leave in the morning. That is… if you want to" He added.

"Y-Yes!" Yuri agreed almost immediately, happy to spend the night with her new lover. "I'd like that very much. We can share the bed and everything. Maybe even have breakfast together. Bu-But only if it's okay with you"

"It's fine. More than fine. Come on" Aaron said as he took Yuri by the hand, giving her a little peck on the lips before leading her upstairs, into his bedroom.

* * *

"Hello? Mom? Dad? I'm home!" Sayori stated as she finally returned home, practically shivering from the cold outside as she closed the front door, all the lights in the house off, making it near impossible to see. "Hello? Anyone here? I said I'm back!" She announced her return twice as she turned on the lights, illuminating the living room, only to find it empty. Nobody around. Silent too, almost uncharacteristically so for Sayori's house.

Normally, this should have been her father's prime time for television, the volume on full blast as he watched all of his favorite series' recorded on the DVR. Usually her mother watches with them, the smell of freshly made popcorn filling the entire living room. But… no such thing tonight. Odd. Very odd.

"I guess you guys aren't home. That's… That's cool. It's not like I needed to come home to a loving family after a stressful night. Whatever" She sighed as she walked deeper into her home, searching the entire house to see if her parents had left any sort of note for her. Something to announce where they where and when they'd be back. They hadn't.

Didn't even bother to cook dinner for her either, the stove bare, clean and unused. The fridge practically empty as well, Sayori unable to make anything for herself to eat, even though she knew nothing when it came to cooking.

Than again, why should her parents actually bother keeping food in the house? Sayori would just eat it all. Scarf it down like the never ending garbage disposal that she was, forcing them to buy more. She was starting to think they left the house empty on purpose. If so, Sayori understood. No need to waste time and money on her eating disorders anyways.

She sighed. Tonight must have been date night for them, her parents sectioning off one day out of the week to dedicate to themselves. Tonight must have been that night. She hoped they had gone to a restaurant or something. At least then, Sayori could eat whatever they brought back in the morning.

She sighed again as she unzipped her sweater, hanging it on the coat rack as she lazily plopped herself down on the couch, remote in hand as she turned on the television and flicked through the channels, the button clicking over and over, Sayori growing more annoyed as she surfed the channels, unable to find anything good to help take her mind off tonight.

"Trash. All of it" She grunted in aggravation as she stood up, pressing the button on the remote, the television turning off. "You know what? Never mind. I'm going to bed" She said as she made her way upstairs, heading to her room.

Sleep. That was what she needed. Just needed to sleep this horrible night off and forget about it. Forget all about the back breaking labor that she put in, only to realize it was all in vain. Forget about practically humiliating herself in front of total strangers by reciting that trash poem. That complete piece of utter garbage!

Forget all about Yuri… kissing Aaron. Making out with her childhood friend so shamelessly, right in front of her too! Only for Yuri to just brush it all aside, like it was nothing! Like it was something she'd been doing every day! And Aaron… Sayori didn't even want to think about it anymore! She just wanted to sleep. Just wanted to sleep and never wake up.

She sighed in frustration as she began climbing the stairs, her feet practically exhausted as she made them ascend further and further up the flight, feeling as if she should have been up their already. Yet oddly, she wasn't.

As she kept acceding the flight of stairs, her body began to feel as if it was getting heavier and heavier with every step, her feet feeling as if they were weighted down by concrete shoes! Taking much more effort to even move her feet as her head began to feel… foggy. Dizzy, a splitting headache suddenly coming to her, pulsing hard, pounding her skull, making her grunt softly in pain.

Just… a few… more steps.

"Aah!" She shouted as she collapsed on the staircase, unable to lift her body back up, feeling as if a fifty pound weight had been placed on her back, forcing her to now crawl up the steps, her headache getting worse as she finally made it to the top, the climb being so taxing on her, she felt as if she'd ran out of breath.

"What the hell is going on with me?" She asked as she struggled to get back on her feet, feeling the weight grow heavier and heavier by the second, the hallway spinning round and round, making Sayori feel nauseous as she struggled to keep her balance, walking towards her bedroom door.

Okay, this wasn't because of the festival. Couldn't have been. Something was very clearly wrong with Sayori. Had she gotten sick? Obtained some sort of flu or cold from someone? Was she suffering from food poisoning brought on by whatever she had eaten today? Or was the festival really that tiring for her? Really that physically and mentally exhausting?

Well, she supposed it was. After all, she had put in quite a lot of effort tonight, especially when it came to appearing… normal. What happened back there, seeing Yuri and Aaron kiss. It just felt so… disheartening, Sayori feeling the rain clouds just dogpiling on her mercilessly, beating her down so viciously after what she'd seen.

She couldn't let her club members or any of the visitors see her like that though. She had to hide it. Had to hide how she felt, just like she did every other time.

She felt as if she would break down and cry at any second because of Yuri and Aaron. And the scary part was that she didn't know why! She didn't know why seeing Aaron kiss her so passionately had made Sayori furious! She didn't know why she felt so angry and bitter towards Yuri because of that. She didn't know why she felt as if the entire performance was a waste of time and effort! She didn't know anything!

She. Didn't. Know. Anything.

She sighed in relief as she finally reached her bedroom door, her hand gripping the doorknob tightly, slowly opening it to enter her ro-

"What the hell?!" She shouted loudly, fear and dread coursing through her as she saw… herself… hanging from the roof of her bedroom, a noose wrapped around her own neck, the whole body limb and lifeless as tiny drops of blood dripped from its fingertips, Sayori unable to look away as she watched her own corpse sway back and forth slowly, like a pendulum. "Is this… Is this supposed to be me?" She asked in pure shock as she took a step closer, her arm reaching out to touch the body, only to quickly pull her hand away once she felt the cold flesh, her hands covering her mouth as she felt the bile rise in her throat.

"But… But this can't be me! This isn't me! I'm right here! I'm alive! I'd… I'd never do this!" She shouted loudly to the corpse, unable to tear herself away from it, forced to gaze into her own cold, dead eyes. "I mean… I've had thoughts. B-But I'd never… Aaron! He'd never forgive me if I did this!" She began to feel the tears form under her eyes.

" _But he doesn't need you anymore…"_ She swore she heard a voice come from the corpse. _"Doesn't care about you anymore. He's with Yuri now. A straight upgrade if you ask me. She's so much smarter than you. So much prettier than you. She's a woman. And what are you? You're a little girl! You're a pathetic, weak little girl in charge of a club of losers and misfits! Outcasts! The rejects of civilized society! Freaks! Freaks with a pathetic, suicidal child as their leader!"_

"Sh-Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!" Sayori shouted angrily to the corpse, the tears slowly falling down her face. "You're not real! None of this is real! I'm in a bad dream! A nightmare! I need to wake up! I just need to wake up!" She sobbed loudly as she collapsed into a small ball on the floor, her knees in her chest as she clutched her skull tightly. "Please… Please let me wake up! Please!" She begged pathetically.

" _Oh… Poor little Sayori's crying her eyes out again! God, is that all you know how to do?! Cry like a little kid! You're so pathetic! Why don't you do the world an actual favor and kill yourself so it doesn't have to deal with you anymore! Believe it or not, it's actually incredibly beneficial for your mental health!"_

"SHUT UP!" She screamed loudly, trying to drown out the piercing voice as her headache worsened tremendously, her own skull feeling as if it were about to burst. "JUST GET OUT OF MY HEAD ALREADY! GET OUT! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! GET OUT OF MY HEAD! GET OUT OF MY HEAD, M̶̼̤̑̈Ȍ̸̰̰̪N̷̲̿͂̽I̴̝̳̗̿͝K̷̛̪͗A̴̤͘!̴̮̆̍"

Wait… M̶̖̥͑͛ơ̵͇͐͌n̵̛͙̾̈ǐ̶̯̟k̸̟̿̿͝a̵͇͍̿̉?̵̢̳͆̿͠

"Who… Who's M̶̖̥͑͛ơ̵͇͐͌n̵̛͙̾̈ǐ̶̯̟k̸̟̿̿͝a̵͇͍̿̉?̵̢̳͆̿͠" Sayori asked as the name randomly popped into her mind, causing her to yelp loudly in pain as she fell to the floor, her mind pounding painfully as random flashes of light assaulted her eyes, forcing her to shut them tightly, her ears unable to hear anything save for a deafening static as visions upon visions forced themselves onto Sayori. Visions of herself. The club. Yuri. Natsuki. Aaron and… someone else. Sayori couldn't place the figure.

But that face… it felt so familiar, her brain practically exploding as she tried to place the identity of this person, the air suddenly becoming so thick. So heavy and unbreathable, almost like it was smoke! Sayori beginning to cough and wheeze madly as she struggled to breathe, gasping for air, feeling as if she was being strangled, her face turning blue as her hands gripped her own throat, feeling something wrap itself around her neck, only to feel nothing! Nothing stopping her from breathing! Her body unconvinced as she began clawing at her neck, tearing into her flesh, the blood staining her fingers before she felt the precious oxygen she had left escape her, her body going limp, sprawling out on the floor.

Her vision was dark. Faded. But she could still see. Still see as she laid on the floor. Dead? No. Something else. She tried with whatever might she had left to move her body, only to find it unresponsive, Sayori unable to move, left on the floor of her bedroom, the feet of her hung corpse the only thing she could see as they slowly swayed left to right.

And just as she felt her eyes begin to close… She heard something. Small. Faint, yet there. A giggle? Something like that. It belonged to a woman, Sayori now able to hear the small pattering of shoes. Heels clicking against the hardwood floor as a woman came into view.

Beautiful emerald green eyes. Her long, milk chocolate brown hair tied in a ponytail with a white bow holding it in place as she looked down at Sayori, smiling widely.

" _ **Hiya, pal! Long time no see!"**_ She giggled happily as she looked down at Sayori. **_"How's it…"_** She stopped to chuckle, as if she was thinking of something funny. _**"I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't make jokes, but I can't help it! So, how's it hanging?"**_

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" Sayori screamed loudly, bolting up from the floor, her body instantly returning to life, only to find her bedroom… empty.

It was gone… Everything was gone. The corpse. The voice. The headache. Even the girl. It was just Sayori. Sayori and the furniture in her bedroom. Her dark, silent bedroom. She was alone… All alone, folding back into her little ball as she laid in the middle of her room, rocking back and forth as she began weeping uncontrollably, the floor wet by her constant stream of tears as she remained in that exact spot all night, eventually crying herself to sleep.

"Stay away… Stay away… Don't come near me… Leave me alone…"


	7. The Morning After

_**I Know What You Did Last Night.**_

 _I saw you._

 _I saw you with… her. I saw all of it Every single second!_

 _I saw her put her filthy, disgusting hands on you! I saw her violate and rape you! I saw her so shamelessly force herself onto you and steal away your purity!_

 _But worst of all… I saw you go along with it._

 _I saw you bend over backwards for her! Answer her every beck and call! I saw you obey and serve her like a trained dog! I heard the way you made her scream. Saw the things she made you do to her… It was disgusting. Utterly disgusting. God, just thinking about makes me feel dirty. Like I need to take a bath._

 _I didn't even have a choice! I was forced!_

 _Forced to watch that filthy whore have her way with you!_

 _Forced to watch her do such horrid and disgusting things to your body, my eyes begging, pleading for me to look away as I just watched helplessly. It felt like I was bound to a chair, my eyes forced open as I unwillingly watched your sickening display, repressing the urge to vomit. I tried, though. Tried with every fiber of my being to look away! To rid myself of your disgusting ritual of 'passion!' But I couldn't! It was in my head! Burned into my mind! Even as I forced my eyes closed, I still saw everything! I still heard everything!_

 _The screaming… Oh god, the way she screamed. I don't think I'll ever be able to get that harpy's deafening shriek out of my mind. My ears! They won't stop ringing!_

 _How could you? How could you do this to me?! After everything I've done for you?! After all the love and attention I showered you in?! After all the affection I gave you?! After all the time I spent with you, singing your praises to whoever we met, worshiping the very ground you walked on, and this is the thanks I get?! This is my reward?! This is how you treat me?!_

 _What was I to you? Did you even see me the same way? Had that filthy, disgusting freak stolen you from me? Or were you never mine to begin with?_

 _Was I just a toy to you? An object made for your amusement? A little trinket for you to carry around? An accessory?! Was I something you could just throw away as soon as you found something better?!_

 _Because that's what I feel like right now… I feel like a useless object. A piece of trash, thrown away without a second thought as you focused your attention on something else, ignoring me and leaving me to rot._

 _This feeling… It hurts. It hurts so very much. It's like somebody's cut a hole in my heart, leaving the open wound to bleed out as they merely stand and watch! Watch the pain slowly kill me! All the while, you stand there, laughing at me! Laughing at my misery! My suffering! My heartache!_

 _How could you hurt me like this, Aaron?_

" _ **How could you do this to your childhood friend?!"**_

* * *

Yuri yawned softly as she awoke, the rays of the morning sun peering in from the window, seeping through the narrow spaces of the blinds as she opened her eyes, her body moving to sit up as her limbs stretched out, only for her to gasp sharply in pain, a sudden pang hitting her in the back.

"Dammit. Not again" She sighed in annoyance as she laid back down on the bed, the pain turning into an annoying ache as Yuri's spine returned to its original, straight position. Damn back pains. From the moment she got up till the moment she went to sleep, even so much as a slight tilt or bend of the spine would bring on such sharp pain. Such a heavy discomfort that never went away. Only got worse, to the point where occasional appointments with the chiropractor turned into bi-weekly, regular visits. Not like they helped anyway.

And last night's… intense experience certainly didn't help much either, the ache no doubt brought on from the way her body bent itself last night. This didn't make her regret what had happened though. No, this pain would have happened either way, Aaron and Yuri's little embrace only making her feel it sooner rather than later. As for the cause of the back pains, well it was expected for someone who was more… well endowed than other girls of her age.

She sighed again as she continued laying on the bed, pulling up the blanket to cover her nude body, her hands then gently rubbing her eyes, wiping away the small blur in them, allowing her clearly see the room she had awoke in. Aaron's room.

"It's so clean…" She said quietly, slightly in awe at the cleanliness of the room. She wasn't initially expecting Aaron's room to be a complete pigsty, mind you. But she never anticipated it being nearly spotless, assuming that, at the very least, it'd be moderately messy.

To her surprise though, it wasn't. Far from the opposite. It was actually much cleaner than her own bedroom. Had a rather cozy feeling too. Had the perfect amount of space. Just enough for more than one person to walk around without it feeling too… open. Too wide.

Yuri didn't know why she expected Aaron's room to be dirty initially. She certainly knew it wasn't because she thought Aaron to be filthy, which she didn't! She actually thought Aaron was a rather clean person. Very neat and orderly. Yuri guessed that if anything, her assumption was mostly due to the stereotype of young boys having somewhat messy rooms.

She breathed contently as she laid in Aaron's bed, the room filled with fresh, clean air from one of the nearby open windows, entering Yuri's lungs as she relaxed into the mattress, loving the way her body sank and fell into it, the way her weight made the bed shape and mold to fit her form, a godsend for someone who's back would go ballistic from even bending an inch, Yuri feeling as if she didn't want to leave such a haven of comfort anytime soon. She probably didn't have to anyway, seeing as it was the weekend. Nothing could really stop her from just laying here in her lover's bed, relishing in comfort and relaxation as they laid together.

She then turned to lay on her side, a small smile coming to her face when she saw Aaron, still sleeping soundly, his body all wrapped up in the blanket, covered from the neck down, Yuri watching him as he slept, her eyes glued to his face as she heard the quiet snores leave him.

It was fascinating, the way he slept. Almost mesmerizingly so, Yuri acting no better than a small infant watching a shiny object as she stared intently at Aaron, practically hypnotized.

He just looked so at peace. So calm. So content and relaxed. So disconnected from the rest of the world and all of its troubles, just laying there, head on the pillow and blanket covering the body, the time passing him by as he laid there, sleeping so deeply.

He was like a small child put down for an afternoon nap, resting and relaxing so peacefully as he recovered his energy. Freed from any stress or anxiety brought on by early adulthood, allowing him to just be. To just exist in the moment. To just lay there and let the busy world, the ever revolving earth go on with itself, him being excluded from it, letting time pass without him as he rested.

It was so cute. So utterly adorable, Yuri wanting nothing more than to just stay here with him. Stay here and watch that precious face of his. Watch him sleep. Watch him breathe, toss, turn and shimmy around in his bed. Just watch him exist. Watch him in his peaceful, disconnected state. Protect him as he wandered through the land of dreams, Yuri remaining ever vigilant of his body, guarding it so that when he returned to the waking world, it would be there for him, waiting safe and sound.

She giggled quietly at that, thinking such thoughts to sound so… cheesy. Like something you'd read in a generic romance novel. She liked the idea behind it though. Liked the sentiment. The mindset. The idea of protecting her lover when he was at his most vulnerable. At his weakest.

She wondered what he was dreaming about. What amazing sights his mind had conjured for him. What fascinating scenes his imagination had created. And of course, Yuri wondered if she was part of such things. Wondered if Aaron was dreaming about her. Fantasizing about her.

Maybe he dreamed of the two of them on their own private island, far away from civilization? Laying together in exotic lounge chairs on the beach as they partake in fresh fruit? Or maybe they're standing together on the shoreline? Aaron at Yuri's back, his hands gently gripping her waist as they watched the sun set above the water, the smell of salty sea air combined with the sounds of the waves crashing onto the beach, submerging their feet in the cool sea water.

Quite a lovely picture. A beautiful dream Yuri would be overjoyed to have… and a reality she wished to experience one day.

Her smile grew wider at that thought as her hands gently crept from under the covers, brushing a rouge strand of hair out of Aaron's face before wrapping her arms around his body, Yuri pulling herself closer to him, wanting to close the distance between them. Wanting to hear sound of his snoring. Wanting to feel the texture of his skin. Wanting to smell the scent of him.

"You look so cute when you're asleep" Yuri whispered as she pulled Aaron even closer to her, moving his head onto her chest, her breasts now serving as pillows, Aaron seeming to enjoy the comfort as his arms subconsciously wrapped around Yuri, holding and snuggling her as he burrowed his head deeper into her cleavage, trying to make himself more comfortable, Yuri sighing happily at that as she brought her lips to his forehead, planting a soft, gentle kiss there.

She laid there for what felt like hours, holding her new lover in her arms as he slept through the early hours of the morning, Yuri's eyes never darting away from the sight of his sleeping form. Never turning their attention to something else. Never wandering off. Staying perfectly locked on Aaron, focusing on him as she felt him breathe. Felt the way his chest expanded and contracted as he inhaled and exhaled. Felt his breath crash onto her after leaving his mouth, Yuri trying her best to match his pace. To breathe in unison with him.

These few hours of peace felt like absolute bliss to Yuri. This small frame of time was the definition of heaven to her. These simple moments in which she did nothing, absolutely nothing, were what felt like the best moments of her life.

Just laying here. Going nowhere. Doing nothing. Thinking of nothing. Her mind free. Unshackled by thoughts of school, family and the many other burdens of life, leaving her to focus all of her attention on the person in her arms. To focus only on her love, watching over him as he rested on top of her… She wished time would stop on this very moment. Wished that now, of all times, the earth would stop revolving and just… stay trapped on this one moment. Trapped in this hour. Time no longer passing, leaving Yuri to enjoy the sight of her sleeping lover forever.

Sadly though, the earth was still revolving and time was still passing, the moment now suddenly ruined by the monstrous growl coming from Yuri's stomach.

She groaned quietly in irritation as she heard it, knowing that unless satisfied, the annoying growl in her stomach would never cease. Would only get louder as her need for sustenance was ignored, to the point where it would probably wake up Aaron.

Well… She guessed a little morning snack wouldn't hurt. She'd just grab a bite to silence her stomach and then come back to bed to enjoy the rest of her moment. In and out in less than a second.

She tried her best to move Aaron off of her, her hands slowly pushing him to the other side, trying to be as gentle as possible, so as not to wake him, Aaron falling off of Yuri's chest and back onto his side, his back hitting the wall the bed was catty cornered against, Aaron undisturbed however.

Hmm… Heavy sleeper.

Yuri then quietly left the bed, moving slowly and silently to stand on her feet, initially struggling to keep her balance, her body still a little tender from last night. Once she was able to gain her balance however, she snuck out of Aaron's room on the tips of her toes, slowly shutting the door before walking at a normal pace through the hallway, down the stairs and into the living room, the beams of morning sunlight peering in from the windows now illuminating the whole house.

Yuri stopped dead in her tracks as soon as her hand gripped the railing of the stairs though, her eyes brought to her forearms, seeing the bandages tightly wrapped over them.

Right… She almost forgot about those. Almost forgot about the fact that Aaron had seen what she'd done to herself. Almost forgot that he'd seen the damage she inflicted. The pain she brought onto herself, all for the sake of cheap pleasure. For the sake of libido. A short high of sensory overload. A temporary satisfaction towards a destructive fetish.

She sighed as she moved her arms closer to herself, her fingers gently gliding over the bandages, feeling the texture of them. Feeling the way they tightly clung to her arms.

It felt… so weird. So odd to have her arms bandaged and treated, Yuri never bothering to tend to her wounds after cutting herself, originally due to not having time to deal with them, only for that carelessness to grow into desire. Desire to leave her wounds unchecked. Leave them to ache and cry in pain long after Yuri had made the cut, her liking the way it felt. Liking the slow ache she felt… The lingering pleasure…

"No!" She shouted loudly as she shook those thoughts out of her head, quickly trying to forget about them before… Before the craving came back.

She sighed again. No. This was wrong and she knew it. Now was the time to stop. Now was the time to abandon this painful, awful fetish of hers and seek out more acceptable and definitely more safer means of obtaining her satisfaction.

She couldn't do it back then. Couldn't build up the strength and willpower needed to fight back against the base craving. The urge, causing her to spiral deeper and deeper under its control, her justification being that she wasn't really hurting anybody with it. Only herself, which she was perfectly okay with. Enjoyed actually. But the same justification doesn't work now. Now, Yuri was hurting more than just herself. She was hurting her lover. She was hurting Aaron.

Whether she liked it or not, Aaron was a gigantic part of her life now, every action she would go on to make in the future would be able to effect him now just as much as it would affect her, for better or worse. So now, the old argument doesn't work anymore. The old justifications and principles don't apply. Are invalid. Outdated.

That was for the better though. While many girls Yuri's age would express discomfort and even outrage over the idea of such… baggage, for lack of a better word, Yuri felt as if she needed it. Needed this weight upon her. Needed this limitation. It was for her own good.

Besides, there were other ways for Yuri to satisfy herself. After all, she does have a boyfriend now. A boyfriend who was very understanding. Very sweet. And very… passionate. Certainly, with him at her side, Yuri would find better, safer ways of dealing with her… problem.

A small chuckle escaped her as she continued gazing at her bandages, at first examining them, now almost marveling at them. Marveling in the care that went into their application. The care Aaron gave towards Yuri as he tended to her wounds. It was so sweet. So incredibly kind. It wasn't asked of him or demanded. It was voluntary. He did it because he wanted to. Not because he needed to. He wanted to care for Yuri. To heal her. To help her. Such a kindness… the likes of which she'd never seen from anyone else. Not even from her sisters back home.

She eventually returned her attention to the staircase below her, her hand moving to grip the railing again as she descended.

Right now, it was probably a good thing that Aaron's parents were so inattentive that they no longer lived with him. Imagine them waking up in the morning, only to see a completely naked teenage girl strutting around their home. Imagine the chaos that would ensue. The scene that would cause. The embarrassment alone would be unbearable, even just the thought of it causing Yuri to subconsciously cover her breasts, her cheeks now slightly flushed red as she walked into the living room.

One of the first things she noticed was her clothing, all of it, including her underwear sprawled out over the living room carpet, scattered and thrown about messily, Aaron's clothing not far away from hers as she bent down to pick them up, cleaning a mess she was wholeheartedly responsible for.

After she cleaned up the mess, she began redressing herself, deeming it to be improper to wander around someone else's home stark naked, regardless of anyone present or not, Yuri putting back on her rather lacy purple panties and matching bra as well as her black leggings. She didn't put on the turtleneck though. No, instead she picked up Aaron's white collared shirt, putting it on and lazily buttoning it up, covering her bra.

She was surprised to find that the shirt actually fit her quite well, if a little lengthy in the sleeves, Aaron probably being only a few inches wider than Yuri in the torso, mostly due to his slightly smaller frame when compared to the other boys.

This shirt was definitely more preferable than the turtleneck. Light. Loose fitting. And it breathes too! Perfect to wear during the warm morning. Plus… it smells like him. Has his scent on it, Yuri sighing happily after taking a big whiff into the fabric, just savoring the smell of it. The smell of him.

Ugh… sounded a little creepy, didn't it? A little obsessive maybe? Yuri herself not oblivious to this. It just… It felt right to her. Felt like the right thing for her to do. She couldn't exactly explain it.

Anyways, after redressing herself, she made her way to the kitchen, scouring and searching the pantry, cupboards and the fridge for something to eat.

Oddly enough, the kitchen was rather bare. Had little to no food. And what was around wasn't exactly appropriate for breakfast, a majority of the food in the house being microwavables. TV dinners, frozen foods and instant cook meals, as well as a few boxes of leftover takeout from various restaurants. Things that took barely any effort to make. Pop it in the microwave or leave it on the stove for a few minutes. Come back later and done. Dinner's ready.

Filling as it may be, Yuri didn't exactly like the idea of eating those kinds of foods, especially for breakfast.

She supposed it wasn't Aaron's fault for this though. After all, he is living alone. Surviving off of small packets of money sent in by his workaholic, neglectful parents. He probably doesn't have the resources or the knowledge needed to cook actual food for himself. And judging by the looks of it, it must have been ages since he's had an actual, home cooked meal, leaving him to fill himself with this… junk food, as well as whatever he can order in from restaurants. Poor boy.

As Yuri rooted and dug around in the refrigerator, she eventually found a carton of perfectly good eggs and a pack of bacon all the way in the corner, the expiration date not even up yet, this being the only actual food in the house.

Well, it wasn't much, but Yuri could make due with this. Could whip up a decent breakfast with what she had found. While she originally came for something light, hoping maybe to make a bowl of cereal or something, after seeing what Aaron usually eats, she decided instead to treat him to a real, actual home cooked breakfast. Now, Yuri never claimed to be a five star chief, but at the very least, she knew her way around a stove. Knew enough to make simple meals, and what was more simple than bacon and eggs?

She got to work immediately, firing up the electric stove, two frying pans placed atop. One for the bacon and the other for the eggs, Yuri cracking the shells open, the yoke spreading out in the frying pan, being prepared sunny side up.

"Yuri?" She heard Aaron ask as he walked into the kitchen, Yuri turning her head to see him, a tired, sleepy look on his face, him not being fully awake yet as he rubbed his eyes, wearing a loosely fit tee shirt and pajama pants, this most likely being his weekend apparel. Something he wore solely to lounge around in.

"Good morning, Love" Yuri greeted warmly, smiling at Aaron as she turned to face him.

"Morning" He greeted back tiredly, yawning afterwords. "What are you still doing here? I thought you left. And are you… cooking?" He asked, looking at her oddly, as if he didn't even know Yuri could cook.

"Mm-hm. My apologies, Love. I know it's rude to go rooting through other people's kitchens, especially without permission, but… I wanted to find a way to thank you for last night, so I'm making breakfast for you" She said simply as she returned her attention to the food. "You don't… have a problem with this, do you?" She asked.

"Not at all" Aaron smiled as he walked deeper into the kitchen, only to come up behind Yuri, his chest at her back as she felt his hands hold her by her waistline, Aaron's head resting atop her right shoulder. "In fact, _I think it's kinda cute"_ He whispered, Yuri moaning softly as her eyes rolled into the back of her head, her body seeming to lose balance for a second, her back against Aaron's chest as she felt a shiver crawl up her spine, the simple branding of her actions as cute triggering some sort of pleasurable effect on her.

"Oh Love, you have to be careful when you say such things. You don't know the power you have over me now" She stated, shaking herself out of the daze she had fallen into, Aaron chuckling lightly at that.

"Oh, so I've got power over you? _That's pretty cute_ " He did it again, causing Yuri to shiver once more. "Seriously though, you don't have to make breakfast if you don't want to" Aaron stated.

"But I do want to" Yuri insisted. "You took care of me, now I'm going to take care of you. Sit down, please. The food's almost done" She instructed, Aaron smiling as he rolled his eyes, taking a seat at the dining room table, Yuri soon following, carrying both Aaron's and her own plate of food with her, setting down his first before her own, sitting at the chair directly in front of him.

"Wow. This is actually pretty good" Aaron stated, his mouth half full as he praised Yuri's cooking, now immediately digging into his dish, eating as much as possible.

"Good. I'm glad you like it!" Yuri smiled as she ate her own food, happy knowing that Aaron was enjoying his meal. "I take it you don't get to eat food like this that much?" She asked, simply as a way of starting conversation, Aaron's attention immediately taken off his plate and onto Yuri, a slightly sad expression on his face.

"Not really. No" He stated. "I mean, I can cook for myself perfectly fine and all! Well… mostly…" He said, slightly embarrassed at the fact that he wasn't able to work a stove as well as he should have been. "It's just… Why waste the energy, you know? It'd be different if I was cooking for more than myself but…"

"I understand" Yuri said, still smiling as her hand stretched out over the table, meeting Aaron's in the middle, laying on top of his, Aaron able to feel the softness of Yuri's palm. Of her hand. Much softer than his own. Smaller too, her fingers interlocking with his, gripping gently.

"Oh, your bandages" Aaron noticed as he looked at the hand, his eyes drifting up to her forearm, able to see Yuri's bandages, due to the way she rolled up her sleeves while preparing breakfast. "Are you…?"

"Yes, Love. I'm okay. Thank you for asking"

"You're gonna be alright, right? I mean, I don't wanna let you go only for you to go back to… well, you know" He said, somewhat loath to speak of Yuri's act so bluntly, whether out of politeness or simply discomfort, even he didn't know.

"Thank you for showing concern, but you don't need to worry, Aaron. I'll be fine… I think" Yuri stated, her smile disappearing as she sighed. "I'm not going to lie. This will be a difficult, very straining change for me. I might not take it very well sometimes. And some days are just going to be harder than others… but I think I'll be okay. Besides, if anything happens, I can just come back to you! Like I did last night! And… you can help me go through it easier" Yuri said, her smile immediately coming back, only to disappear again, a look of nervousness taking its place, Yuri suddenly getting flustered. "Well… I-I don't mean to imply that I expect you to prioritize m-my needs over your own. I understand that you're very busy, what with school and everything. I don't expect you to be here for me twenty four seven, but…"

"Relax" Aaron said, smiling warmly as he stood up from his chair, moving towards Yuri's, only to bend down and gently peck her on the lips, her cheeks blushing a faint red. "It's okay if you need a little help now and then. That's what I'm here for. You don't have to face this alone anymore. We're a team now, remember? It's us against the world" Aaron stated, his hands gently gripping Yuri's shoulders as he looked her in the eyes, the determination to help his new girlfriend with whatever troubled her visible on his face.

"Us against the world…" Yuri repeated, awestruck by such a simple sentence. "I like the sound of that idea. I like it a lot"

"Good. Because it's not an idea. It's a reality. Our reality" Aaron stated firmly, Yuri chuckling slightly. "Something funny?" He asked.

"I'm sorry. I just… I remember when you first joined the club, you had a difficult time speaking to us. Me especially. You couldn't string together a proper sentence due to the nervousness you felt around us" Yuri recalled. "But look at you now, looking right at me and telling me everything's going to be okay. And so firmly too. So prideful. So sure. You've changed, Love" She stated, a somewhat playful grin on her face.

"Yeah… I guess a night of passionate sex with a girl you really like tends to do that to a guy. Makes you 'man up' I guess" Aaron chuckled lightly, jokingly making muscles with his arms, only to sigh at the fact that… Well, there were no muscles for him to make, his arms as scraggly and scrawny as noodles. Had the durability of toothpicks, Yuri giggling at that as she stood up from her chair, returning Aaron's peck on the lips with one of her own.

"Don't man up too quickly" She whispered softly in his ear. "Well, I suppose I've taken up enough of your time. I may be your girlfriend now, but that doesn't mean I should be breathing down your neck all day. I should be heading home now" She stated as she began walking towards the door.

"Do you uhh… want me to walk you there?" Aaron asked as he followed her out. "I mean, it's no trouble. I can throw on some nicer pants and a better shirt in no time!"

"No no. I should be okay. It's a good walk away, but I'll be fine. Besides, I don't think it's a good idea to bring you near the home just yet. My sisters… They'd-"

"You're not ashamed of me, are you? Too embarrassed by me to show off to your family?" Aaron asked with a grin.

"No! No, that's not it! I swear!" Yuri quickly stated. "It's actually the other way around. I'm embarrassed of them. Don't get me wrong! They're my family and I love them to death, but they tend to get… easily excited. If they found out… oh, I'd never hear the end of it" She sighed.

"They're not…"

"Abusive? Overbearing? Overly protective? No, none of those. It's just that… they make everything seem bigger than it should be. Have a tendency to blow these sort of situations out of proportions. Get incredibly excited over even the smallest changes in my life, to the point where it sounds… patronizing" Yuri explained. "I'll… I'll talk to them about this though… eventually. Try to ease them into the idea of me having a boyfriend. Until then, I'd prefer if we kept our… recent developments on a need to know basis, for the sake of both of us"

"A secret love? Hidden from everyone else? Sounds romantic" Aaron grinned again, Yuri smiling at that.

"Yes. Very much so" She said. "Just thinking about it like that… Our own little Romeo and Juliet story. Well anyways, I had a lovely time and I'd be overjoyed to do this again with you on more… mutual terms, of course. Goodbye, Love" Yuri said as she wrapped her arms around Aaron's neck, pulling him close to give a goodbye kiss, him immediately putting his hands on her hips, kissing back.

"Goodbye" He said after they pulled away.

"I love you" Yuri stated, finally bidding farewell as she walked out the door, leaving Aaron's house and stepping onto the sidewalk, making her way back home.

"I… I love you too!" Aaron shouted to her as he watched her leave, standing in the opened doorway, his eyes locked on Yuri as he watched her walk down the street, not returning to his house until she disappeared into the distance, sighing the moment he lost sight of her, walking back inside and shutting the door.

"Oh my god, I can't believe I just said that…" Yuri said to herself as she walked away, her feet moving of their own accord as she made her way home, a shocked, utterly stunned look on her face. "Oh my god, I can't believe I just slept with one of my own fellow club members! Oh my god, I can't believe that I told him I loved him!" She said, internally panicking, unable to believe what had just happened, the shock of it all finally hitting her as she walked through the small suburban neighborhood.

But… She did say that, didn't she? And he said it back. She did indeed sleep with Aaron, the two of them having sex on his living room couch! And… she liked it. Liked it a lot. Loved it, actually. Wanted more of it. More time to feel that mind numbing pleasure overwhelm her. More time in that lovely afterglow… And more time laying beside her lover.

It… It was true, wasn't it? Yuri's shock and surprise suddenly morphing into a form of giddiness. Happiness, a wide, loving smile forming on her face as she came to her revelation.

What she said… It wasn't spur of the moment. Wasn't thrown out just to be thrown out. Said just to be said. No, it was real. Genuine. True. Yuri really did love Aaron. Loved him in every sense of the word. While yes, this love was still relatively new. Wasn't sitting in the pit of Yuri's stomach for God knows how long, waiting patiently for years on end for her to finally spill her heart out and confess. Wasn't the product of an unhealthy crush or obsession either… But Yuri liked to think it still had the same commitment. The same feeling as those two. The same sense of intimacy.

The same feeling of love, Yuri silently swearing that she'd do everything in her power to elevate it to such feelings. To build it high enough and strong enough to stand beside those two comparisons and call itself an equal to them. To legitimize it as much as possible, even if doing so would prove incredibly difficult.

This wasn't your run of the mill, stereotypical, teenage first love. This wasn't some poorly written romance novel with a plot point that was set up only to be destroyed, resulting in filling the story's characters with hurt, pain, sadness and angst. This wasn't some unplanned, spur of the moment, make-it-up-as-I-go-along ship fic made solely for fanservice.

No, this was something else. Something greater. Something stronger. Something… real, the evidence for this being on Yuri's arms. The bandages.

Would it have been any other boy, Yuri would have been immediately cast out and shunned as soon as they saw her arms. As soon as they saw how flawed and damaged she really was. She would have been thrown away. Treated like a filthy piece of trash, her only purpose from there on out to be thrown away.

But it wasn't the case with Aaron. While yes, he was shocked and surprised when he found out… he never turned Yuri away for what she was. For what she did to herself. No instead, he tried to help her, going so far as to personally clean and bandage her wounds. Not because he felt obligated to, but because he wanted to. Because he wanted to care for her. Because he saw the legitimacy in their relationship just as much as Yuri did, wanting not only to merely assist in building it, but to fully contribute to its creation.

The entire walk home, Yuri couldn't stop smiling. Couldn't stop feeling so… amazing! So happy, as if a swarm of butterflies were living in her stomach, causing her to giggle gleefully.

She just couldn't get over it. She had a boyfriend now! She was in a relationship! And an intimate one at that! And after all the times Yuri thought she'd never meet someone compatible with her. Never thought any boy or man would ever dream to look her way. To acknowledge or pay attention to her. To be romantically interested in her, here Aaron came, destroying such negative thoughts. Destroying the horrible attacks she'd commit on her self esteem, only to then sing her praises. To then call her beautiful. Cute… And kiss her. Kiss her so deeply that she could still feel it on her lips, it being nothing more than a happy reminder of what they now have, instead of a burdening phantom like before.

Though her smile soon faded however as a grim thought came to her mind. What would the others think of this? What would the other club members say once they learned of this union between Yuri and Aaron? How would they react?

Natsuki would make fun of it, no doubt. Tease. Belittle. Laugh. Poke and prod. Make jokes and maybe try to scare Aaron once and awhile. A small nuisance, but not a threat, Yuri figuring that with time, Natsuki would grow to recognize and respect their bond.

Sayori though… Yuri was unsure.

Would she be angry? Hateful? Disgusted? So much so, that Yuri would immediately be put on her blacklist? Her fear of the club president bullying and attacking her, abusing her power just to make Yuri suffer coming true?

Would she be sad? Heartbroken? Break down and cry because of Yuri's actions. Would it… Would it destroy her? Throw her into a deep depression the likes of which she'd never be able to cure? Yuri's lack of consideration turning a once happy, go lucky ray of sunshine into a sad… broken down… bitter girl?

Would it… Would it drive Sayori to… take her own life?

Yuri quickly shook that thought out of her head as soon as it came to her, ashamed that her own mind would even think of such a thing.

N-No! No, of course such a thing wouldn't happen. How dare Yuri! Who was she to think so lowly of her club president?!

While yes, there was a chance of Sayori becoming deeply saddened by the revelation that her childhood friend was now dating her vice president, Yuri figured that it wouldn't hurt her that badly. Certainly not hard enough to make her want to commit suicide!

Even if it did get that bad, Sayori spiraling down into a deep depression, there were always ways to fix that, Yuri still being Sayori's friend first and foremost, always there when needed. Besides, it's not like there weren't people who didn't have jobs made specifically to help victims of depression. Even if it did get that bad, it didn't mean that such a thing would doom Sayori.

As Yuri continued her walk home, she eventually made it into a much more condensed area, the houses changing from simple homes to large brick and concrete buildings. The worn, old road now swapped out for fresh, new asphalt. The sidewalk having little to no plant life or grass near it as large groups of people walked up and down, all of them having something to do and somewhere to go, the peaceful, sleepy atmosphere of the suburbs replaced by the hustle and bustle of downtown, Yuri trying her best to move through the crowd as she approached her apartment complex.

She made her way around the building, entering a dank old alley that lead to the back, Yuri looking up to see the fire escape, which was how she left her home last night.

She had to sneak out. Couldn't walk right out the front door at such a late hour, lest her sisters find out. Besides, they'd probably stop her from going if she did, not exactly keen on letting their beloved family member out at such a late hour, only to pay a visit to a boy they didn't know, leaving Yuri with no choice but to use the fire escape, which was conveniently accessible from the window in her room.

She grunted in frustration as she looked up at the escape however, finding that someone had pulled up the retractable ladder needed to get up! The culprit most likely being an overly concerned neighbor, fearful of thieves, Yuri sighing as she looked around, not seeing any way of reaching the fire escape without the ladder, there being nothing for her to climb on.

No trash cans, dumpsters, cars or boxes, the alleyway bare, causing Yuri to grunt again. Great, now she had no choice but to use the front door, sighing as she backtracked down the alley again, reaching the entrance way to her building, walking up the stairs and entering the lobby.

A small one. Not very big. Had a few chairs and a couch, meant for general lounging, as well as a front desk, the man behind it too busy tending to his work to notice Yuri as she silently stepped into the elevator, the sound of a light buzzing coming from inside as the light flickered faintly, Yuri pressing the button, causing the elevator to ascend, wobbling slightly.

Yuri's complex was in no way dirty or cheap, just in case such descriptions of it had given that impression. No, it was just old. Very old, things like the elevator shaft having aged slightly. Still working perfectly well, of course.

Yet, for as old as the complex was, it was still one of the more nicer places in the downtown area to live, outclassed only by the fancy hotels and high class, costly buildings further down the street, in the more expensive area of town.

Yuri's home was sort of a happy middle ground between that sort of high class living and what was more commonly seen as suitable for the middle class. You know, the white and blue collars. The workforce. Whatever you wished to call them. In a layman's term, her home held a few of the same creature comforts while still being somewhat affordable, to the point where a single person who worked modestly could hold down the mortgage without the need for assistance. Perfectly able to maintain their home and still be able to enjoy other comforts.

That wasn't to imply that Yuri's family were wealthy, however. Part of a more elite sect of society that could have whatever they wanted with a snap of their finger. No, Yuri's family was far from that. They were just able to get by well enough to live comfortably, their finances relatively average.

The elevator finally rang as it came to the fourteenth floor, the doors opening to reveal the hallway, Yuri stepping out as she made it to door eleven, her home. She griped the door knob, twisting only to find the door locked, Yuri not in possession of the key and fearful to knock, lest she wake her sisters, who were most likely still sleeping. Besides, she's trying to sneak into the apartment, remember?

She then began fumbling around the door frame, her hands gliding through the top, only to pull out the spare key, left behind in case such a thing like this happened.

Yes, Yuri knew this was a stereotypical trope, often only done in television, as well as being a gigantic risk to home security. But after the many times the spare had helped Yuri and her family when they became forgetful, it proved more useful rather than detrimental, Yuri inserting the spare into the lock, feeling it click into place with the tumbler before she opened the door, slowly so as not to draw attention, shutting it and silently tip toeing into her apartment.

"Welcome home, Little sister!" A rather gleeful shout came from the living room, Yuri nearly jumping in surprise before cursing internally, angered that she had been found out before she even entered her own home, causing her to sigh.

"Hello Yuna. Good morning" Yuri greeted as she entered the living room, seeing a slightly older woman sitting comfortably on one of the chairs, a hot cup of freshly made tea in her hand, the sound of the television filling the room, broadcasting the morning news.

As stated before, the woman in the chair was slightly older than Yuri. Her facial features more defined. More chiseled. Less girlish and more womanly. Her eyes much more focused. More piercing. Her voice slightly deeper. More mature and aged. Sultry. Seductive even, her body reflecting said maturity, having much greater curvature. A better hourglass figure with muscle to boot, making Yuri look almost scrawny in comparison.

Her hair was a darker shade of purple. More akin to a midnight blue, pulled back tightly and tied in a long, fluffy ponytail.

This was Yuri's older sister by five years. Yuna. Now her primary caretaker and guardian, due to their parents no longer being on this earth.

In many ways, Yuna and Yuri were very similar yet different, the both of them sharing the same physical features through the years, Yuri expecting to mirror her older sister once she came of age. Personality wise however, that was where the differences came in. While yes, both Yuri and Yuna were rather mature and often spoke the same way, shared some of the same hobbies and enjoyed the same things, Yuna was more… energetic. More peppy. Always in a relatively good mood. Cheerful. Friendly. Much more confident around strangers as well. An extrovert in every sense of the word.

Actually, now that Yuri thought about it, Yuna was a lot like Sayori, personality wise. Not a one to one mimic, but still very similar. So in a way, Yuna was somewhat of a mix between Yuri's interests, behavior and appearance as well as Sayori's personality and disposition.

"A good morning to you as well, my dear little sister" Yuna said with a smile, her head bowing slightly, Yuri doing the same. "There's a little bit of tea left in the kettle. Why don't you pour yourself a cup and come sit with me" She suggested, Yuri nodding once as she walked into the small kitchenette near the living room, pulling out her favorite teacup from the cupboard and pouring her tea, returning to the living room, sitting on the couch next to her sister's chair. "That's better" Yuna said with a smile. "Now, where were you? Why did you leave the house so early in the morning?" She asked, Yuri looking her way, her mind trying to think of what to say as her eyes darted from one side of the room to the other nervously.

Sufficed to say, she wasn't planning on stating that she snuck out in the middle of the night and had rough sex with this one boy from her school, all because her hormones went crazy, to the point where she'd almost been driven insane.

Okay, just… think. So, she's sitting down in her comfy chair, having her morning tea and watching the news, a snow white bath robe being the only article of clothing she was wearing. Odds were, her sister had just woke up and only recently stepped out of the shower, no doubt only being awake for a few minutes. She's rather lazy on weekends. Sleeps in longer than usual.

"I… um, decided to go for a morning walk" Yuri said before taking a sip of her tea, hiding her mouth and looking away from her sister in an attempt to hide any indication that she was lying. Well, it was a half truth, somewhat. After all, Yuri did in fact walk. And it was still morning. "It just didn't feel right being cooped up in the apartment on such a nice day. I wanted to walk around a bit. Breathe in the fresh air and all that"

"In… a long sleeved, white collared shirt?" Yuna pointed out, Yuri almost spitting out her tea in shock, realizing that she still wore Aaron's shirt. "Isn't that a man's shirt?" Her sister pointed out again.

"O-Oh. This old thing? I… I've always had this. It's my sleeping shirt, so you've never really seen it. I know it's made for men but… I like the comfy feeling of it. The openness. The way it breathes" She claimed.

"And you went for a walk in it?"

"Well, it was just so lovely outside, I didn't want to waste a minute. So, I decided against changing"

"Hmm…" Yuna looked at her inquisitively, Yuri feeling like she'd cave in at any second under the gaze of her sister's piercing eyes. "I suppose it is rather beautiful outside. I can understand why you'd want to savor every second. Shame you had to go alone though. You should have woke me up, I'd have gone with you" She smiled lightly as she stood up, walking into the apartment's kitchenette, placing her now empty cup of tea in the sink.

"W-Well. I didn't want to bother you. I know how you wish to be left alone on the weekends" Yuri stated. "We can go for a walk together tomorrow, if you want to"

"Yes. Yes, I think I'd like that. I would love to spend some time with you, dear sister. I feel like you and I don't really connect as much as we used to, what with me working a lot and you dealing with your schoolwork" Yuna said. "By the way, how was your festival? I wanted to go but I was too busy with work last night. How was your poetry performance?" She asked, knowing fully well of Yuri's involvement with the literature club. She was the one who actually encouraged Yuri to join, hoping that it would help her sister socialize better.

"It went… relatively well. A decent number turned up to the performance and I had a little fun with my friends"

"And…" Yuna giggled slightly, a mischievous grin on her face. "How did our little makeover work out for you? Did you get the attention of any boys?" She said teasingly, giggling again as she saw Yuri's face flushed with red, only to have her hide it in one of the throw pillows.

This was one of the reasons Yuri wanted to keep her relationship a secret from her family, mainly due to how desperately they wished for Yuri to get involved in a relationship, no doubt in her mind that once they found out she had a boyfriend now, they'd start dancing in the street or something. Make it a bigger deal than it was. Practically interrogate Yuri in order to know all the juicy details. Invite Aaron to their home, only to then obsess over the fact that he was dating Yuri, embarrassing her and making him uncomfortable at the same time.

"I umm… I did get some looks, yes" Yuri stated, her head slowly peeking out from the pillow she hid her face in.

"Ooh! Really!? Tell me all about it! Every detail! How many looked at you?! Did they say anything?! Did you say anything back?! Were they kind?! Were they mean?! Were they cute?!"

You see what Yuri was talking about? Now imagine this, only with Aaron on the other side of a diner table, Yuna playing detective all night, interrogating Aaron and Yuri simultaneously in order to know everything about their relationship.

"I-I don't exactly remember. It was a… It was a rather long night" Yuri said, not wishing to answer any of the questions as she took a second sip of her tea.

"Oh. Okay then! At least you got some attention. That's all the matters. Now, breakfast time! Are you hungry?" Yuna asked.

"No. I already ate" Yuri said nonchalantly, only to than cover her mouth after realizing what she said, almost ratting herself out.

"Already ate? When? Where?"

"Um… A restaurant! While I was walking, I stopped at a restaurant and got breakfast" Yuri said, narrowly covering for her mistake. "Sorry. I… I just got really hungry on the walk, so I stopped for a bite"

"Oh, okay then. I guess I'll be making breakfast for two instead of three" Yuna stated as she dug into the refrigerator, pulling out the things she'd need. "Yuki! Breakfast!" She called out into the small hallway on the other side of the living room, a door all the way at the end opening up, a small child, no older than ten walking out of one of the bedrooms, fully clothed in light purple colored pajamas, her matching, short hair nearly reaching the bottom of her neck as she dragged herself into the living room, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she yawned.

This was Yuri's little sister, Yuki, being a much younger, more childlike version of her two older sisters. She was very mature for her age, often speaking very clearly and with a much more mature vocabulary than other girls her age, sans vulgarity, obviously.

Was rather bright as well. Very literate, choosing to read books as her source of entertainment mainly, rather than sitting in front of the television all the time. Though she was very mature, she was still a child and still acted as such, to the point where other than being slightly odd, she wasn't shunned by other children or had difficulties connecting to them like her sister did when she was younger.

A blessing in Yuri's eyes, not bearing the idea of her sweet, innocent little sister going through what she had dealt with. Not having to be seen as an outcast, unable to connect and bond with those around her, often scaring others away, Yuri happy to know that her younger sister was still able to have a relatively normal social life.

Now, there was the whole… involvement of Yuri's mother. Her dying because she gave birth to Yuki, but Yuri and Yuna never threw any of the blame on their baby sister for that, even if it did leave them without parents, their father dying soon after. No, Mother died because she got over excited. Went into cardiac arrest as soon as she saw Yuki, the doctors unable to save her in time, resulting in… Well, you know. But never once did the two blame Yuki for that. Never even thought of blaming her for that. In their eyes, she was and always would be their baby sister. An important member of the family that needed their love, care and protection.

"Good morning, Big sister" Yuki said tiredly to Yuri, yawning twice as she sat beside her older sister on the couch, Yuri smiling at her.

"Good morning, little one. Sleep well?" She asked.

"Too well… Want to go back to bed" Was all Yuki said, Yuri giggling slightly at that.

"Well, don't worry. Just eat your breakfast and then you can go back to sleep, alright?"

* * *

"Are you enjoying the food, Natsuki?" Her father asked as he watched her eat, seeing his daughter practically stuff her face, the fork almost barbarically digging into the food, only to then be quickly shoved into Natsuki's mouth.

"Mm-hm. It's very good. Thank you for taking me out to breakfast" She said gratefully as she continued eating, not even bothering to swallow her food before speaking.

"Don't talk with your mouth full. Table manners, girl" He hissed quietly, Natsuki swallowing her food almost immediately after that, perhaps swallowing too much, nearly choking on the amount she forced down.

"S-Sorry" She apologized immediately, her father only sighing at her actions, his daughter now looking awkwardly towards the ground, as if to avoid eye contact.

As previously stated, her father had taken her out for breakfast this morning, the two sitting together outside a relatively popular restaurant in the downtown area, which had a small sitting area for customers to eat their food outside, should they either choose to, or be unable to obtain an actual table inside.

"Now, do you know why I've taken you here for breakfast?" Natsuki's father asked, her immediately remembering her table manners before speaking.

"Umm… Because there's no actual food in the house?" Natsuki answered reluctantly, her father glaring slightly at that, a small yet angered look on his face.

"What are you talking about? I went and bought food yesterday"

"Umm… No, you didn't. You didn't buy food for the house. You bought food for yourself. Half the stuff you brought home, I didn't even have a chance to eat! Not like I'd want to anyways" Natsuki stated, a slightly irritated tone in her voice.

"Oh, well excuse me, Princess. But I don't exactly remember giving you permission to be picky" Her father said bitterly, treating his daughter's words almost as if they were a personal attack. "You know, you should be more grateful, Natsuki. You do realize that there are children in other parts of the world that don't eat in general, right? Do you have any idea how selfish you're making yourself look right now?" He asked, the tone in his voice sounding very irritated, angered, aggravated, her father trying his best to keep himself contained in order to prevent causing a scene.

"I-I'm not being picky and I'm not being selfish! I'm just saying that…"

"I wasn't done talking. Don't interrupt me, please. It's rude" He growled lowly, Natsuki almost immediately shutting up, her father sighing again as he shook his head, only to bury it in his hands. "There you go again. Always trying to get in the last word. Always wanting to have the last say in everything. Always managing to piss me off in the process. And after I so generously took you out to breakfast as a way of apologizing for last night. I do all this for you, only to get shouted at. Only to be screamed at. Only to be put down and told that everything I do is wrong! You're just like your mother, Natsuki!" He jabbed, Natsuki's brows jumping at the mention of her mother, only to then fall slowly, Natsuki's head gravitating towards the ground again, looking down at her shoes as a small sniffle could be heard from her, a small tear seen falling from her eye. "And here come the waterworks" Her father sighed again.

Natsuki's mother was a… sensitive issue for her. Too sensitive to be talked about in front of the girl, her father knowing this fully well, yet refusing to refrain from making that comment, Natsuki now genuinely upset, trying her best to avoid breaking out into a crying fit.

"I'm sorry…" She sniffled again. "I just… I don't like talking about it"

"I don't understand what I ever saw in that bitch" Her father scoffed, his hand motioning, brushing away the wind, almost as if he was trying to brush the thought of his wife away. "That's where your gratitude problem comes from. Her. She was always so ungrateful for everything I did for her. Everything I gave her. Every time I came home from my day of back breaking labor, what did I get? Did I get a loving wife waiting eagerly at the door for me? _Oh, welcome home, Husband! You must be tired! Come inside and I'll make you dinner!_ I wish! No, all I got when I came home were arguments! Fights! Shouting and screaming matches! Only for my wife to one day leave me on a whim! Leave me with a child to care for on my own!"

"She didn't leave…" Natsuki whispered quietly, her father pausing his rant to look at her. "You… You threw her out. Told her to pack her bags and never come back!"

"yet, she still decided to walk out on us. Abandon us! Abandon you! Thinking that leaving us without so much of a care was the better option. Better than trying to work with me! Better than putting her pettiness aside and focus on taking care of our daughter! All because she was just too dissatisfied with the idea of having a family!"

"You made her miserable. She didn't leave because she didn't care… She left because she couldn't take it anymore! Couldn't take you anymore!" Natsuki finally spoke up, not able to hear her father's lies any longer. "Every night may have been nothing but fights and arguments. Nonstop screaming matches. But that was only because of you! You shouted and snapped at her for no reason! Called her the most… disgusting things! I even saw you hurt her once! I know she wasn't the nicest person, but she didn't deserve that!" She nearly yelled.

"How dare you talk to your father like that! You little…" He said as he stood up from the table, a fearful look on Natsuki's face as she cowered in her chair, Her father stopping mid sentence to look around, only to see other people looking at him. Glaring. Shaking their heads in disapproval, the ones with children present immediately leaving the scene, unwilling to subject their own children to such a sight. One woman even had her phone out, ready and willing to dial the police at the first sign of abuse.

He father sighed as he tried to compose himself, Natsuki peeking her head up. "We're leaving" Was all he said to her.

"But…"

"Please… Don't be difficult. Get in the car. Now"

"Y-Yes, Sir…" Natsuki said meekly as she stood up, abandoning her half finished food as she left the sitting area outside the restaurant, making her way to the parking lot, her father following behind, opening the passenger side door for his daughter, waiting patiently for her to enter.

Only… She didn't. As she stood in front of the car, her attention was focused on… something else. Her father looking in the direction of her eyes, only to see them focused on someone walking down the street. A woman.

Rather young looking thing. Thin. Somewhat tall, given her age. Wore a lazily thrown on men's shirt, the sleeves longer than her actual arm's length, the cuffs of the sleeves covering half her palms, her hands moving up to gently brush her long, violet purple hair as she walked down the street.

Natsuki watched the girl as she walked, hearing her father scoff in the background, making a side comment about how unorthodox her hair color was, doubting for even a second that it could be natural, even making a comment that if Natsuki were to wear a similar color, she'd look incredibly tacky, the girl herself barely able to make the color work.

The entire time Natsuki stared at her from afar, she felt the burning desire to run. Wanted to run right through the street and into the girl's arms, begging, pleading for forgiveness… and protection. Protection from the danger she knew awaited her, as it did many times before, Natsuki thinking that this girl would be more than willing to guard and protected her from this… monster, once water was under the bridge again.

"Natsuki. Car" Her father commanded, Natsuki sighing as she tore her eyes away, the willpower to act on her feelings nonexistent.

"Yes, Sir…" She complied, her voice so low and meek, barely a whisper as she climbed in the passenger's seat, her father slamming the door shut before getting in the driver's side, sighing as he started the car and drove home, a glare on his face all the while as his eyes watched the road.

An uneventful, brief trip. Quiet. Neither Natsuki nor her father ever speaking or looking at each other.

It was not long till they were back in the more suburban area, the car pulling up to their house, Natsuki's father shutting down the engine before walking out, opening the door for his daughter.

"House. Now" He commanded, Natsuki reluctantly stepping out of the vehicle, walking towards the front door slowly, as if she intended to stall time, only for her father to grunt angrily as he pushed her forward, Natsuki struggling to keep her balance as she was forced closer to the door, her father opening it for her. "In" He said, Natsuki gulping nervously as she stepped into the house.

Dark, especially for morning time. The blinds and curtains attached to the windows shut and covered, preventing sunlight from entering the house, the narrow amounts of light that did manage to peek in only barely illuminating the home, giving everything a thick, gray tint.

"You pathetic, little bitch!" Her father shouted angrily as Natsuki felt his hand slap her on the back, causing her to yelp in pain as she fell forward, only to collapse on the coffee table, leaning against it, sniffling and breathing unevenly as she felt the sting from his attack, struggling to stand back up, only for her father to grab her by the back of her head, forcing it down into the coffee table, Natsuki not strong enough to break free. "How dare you talk to me like that, you little cunt! Me! Your father! I brought you into this world, you ungrateful brat! I created you! And this is how you treat me?! This is how you show your love and respect for me?! By berating and insulting me out in the open?!"

"I… I…"

"Shut up!" Her father shouted. "So, I made her miserable, eh? And how did I do that, exactly? By opening my home to her? By giving her the best few years of my life? By letting her relax in a spacious house in the suburbs while I slaved away day and night to make sure it wouldn't get taken away?! By giving her a child?! And that brought her misery?!" He practically screamed, only to sigh as he released his daughter. "Please. Okay, so I can get ornery once and awhile. Maybe it's a little too easy to get me fired up. But that doesn't cause misery. You want to see real misery? Go find a homeless person. Say what you want about your life, Natsuki. But at lease you have a roof over your head. A warm bed to sleep in. Clean clothes… And a loving father"

"Please… Stop…" Natsuki begged, crying as her tears stained the coffee table.

"Stop? Stop what?" her father asked coyly. "Stop pointing out your ungratefulness? Your entitled attitude? Your spoiled, unsightly behavior?"

"Stop… Stop hurting me! Stop yelling at me! Stop insulting me! Please!" She cried, her father only sighing as he shook his head. "I didn't even do anything! You're hurting me for no reason! You just want to!"

"No, Natsuki. That's not it at all. I'm not hurting you, I'm teaching you. Teaching you respect. Teaching you to be more grateful for the things I've given you. The life you have because of me. I'm teaching you something your mother was too stupid to learn! But you… I know you understand. You're just too stubborn for your own good. Too selfish. Too entitled. I'm just trying to teach you that your attitude doesn't work. It's called tough love, Sweetheart" He chuckled lightly. "You're under the delusion that your mother was a good person. She wasn't. She was an ungrateful, disrespecting bitch who'd rather spit in my face instead of showing me a little common courtesy! She was a filthy, good for nothing, backstabbing whore! And you'll end up just like her if you don't start behaving, girl! I'm sick and tired of your shit!" He shouted, Natsuki only whimpering as she cried over the coffee table, her back to her father, too fearful to look at him.

"I'm sorry…"

"No, you're not" Her father shook his head again. "You're just saying that. Lying to me again. Only this time, you can't even look me in the eyes! Humph, I think somebody needs a little… discipline"

"No! Please! No more!" Natsuki screamed fearfully as she fearfully curled up into a ball on the floor, quivering expectantly.

"Oh, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. Still though, you've misbehaved. Now you're being punished. That's how this parenting thing works, Natsuki. You'll understand when you have children of your own" He stated, his face deadpanned. "Now, your punishment… I hope you enjoyed your breakfast, because it's the last thing you'll ever eat for the rest of the day! Starting now! Oh, and you're grounded! Room! Go!"

"Bu-But I-"

"Just do as I say!" He shouted.

"Y-Yes, Sir! A-As you say, Sir"

"You're goddamned right, as I say" He scoffed as he watched his daughter pick herself up, slowly walking up the stairs and into her room. "Don't come out until you've learned your lesson!" He said as he watched her reach the top, Natsuki entering her room, shutting the door, only to then fall onto her bed, her head buried in her pillow as she let it all go, the safety of her room allowing her to let it all out without shame, just crying as hard as she could, her pillow nearly soaked.

She struggled to understand him, her mind often aching and overworking itself whenever she attempted to understand the way he thought. The reasons behind his actions. The justifications. She didn't even think he had any of those. Didn't think he had or really needed a reason for being so… cruel, Natsuki now just assuming that this was just who he was.

He wasn't always like this though. In Natsuki's younger years, around the same time she took elementary school, he used to be very loving. Very kind and caring. But… Something within him… It snapped at some point, her father taking a dark turn, morphing into something, someone different. Almost as if he'd been replaced by a duplicate, looking similar to the original yet acting so differently.

Natsuki never really knew the cause for such a shift, even after trying so hard to narrow down the problem. It wasn't anything to do with alcohol, as her father was almost never drunk. It wasn't pressure or stress brought on from overworking, though Natsuki supposed that was a part of it. Maybe he was just violent all along and hid it so well until Natsuki came of age. Maybe he was just born cruel. A lot of people are.

Maybe it was Mom. Maybe all the anger and tension brought on from their many fights finally broke him, causing the change.

She… She wasn't a very kind woman. Not cruel or heartless, mind you. Wasn't physically abusive in any particular way, but… Her presence. Her mannerisms. The way she spoke and treated others… It wasn't exactly friendly or welcoming, if you got Natsuki's meaning.

She was one of those _She's not so bad once you get to know her_ kind of people, Natsuki being a very, _very_ toned down version, just to put it in perspective.

Dad loved her though. Loved getting to spend even just seconds in her presence. Loved being by her side. Just loved being near her.

Natsuki couldn't exactly define the relationship they had back then, mainly due to her being too young to remember what they were like before… everything. But, there was love there… at some point, even if that love mainly came from her father. Natsuki didn't exactly understand the attraction behind it. For all intents and purposes, her mother was in fact, stone cold. A real ice queen. A total bitch in every sense of the word, Natsuki wondering why anybody would wish to be married to someone so… unappealing.

Then again, some men out there like the idea of having a wife like that. Maybe it was the power dynamic of it. Or maybe Dad had the goal of trying to turn Mom into a better person. Or maybe he saw something in her that nobody else did. Natsuki would never know.

Most of the fighting those two had, even in Natsuki's younger years, back when things were supposed to be 'normal' were the fault of her. The fault of Natsuki, her birth not exactly being… anticipated. She loathed to admit it, even in her own mind, but it was the truth. She… She was an accident. Something that wasn't supposed to happen, only becoming a part of this world because of carelessness from both sides.

Originally, Dad was overjoyed at the idea of a child, regardless of gender. But Mom… Natsuki didn't know if it was because she wasn't ready for such a commitment… Or if it was because she despised the idea of caring for someone other than herself.

Whatever the reason, Mom was never very… motherly. Never committed even a second of her time towards her daughter's needs, even when she was just a baby, Dad having to take on all her care. And as Natsuki grew older and older over the years, her Mom never once seemed to care about her, going so far as to practically push her away. Not exactly hating the child just… not wanting anything to do with her. Not wanting to associate herself with her.

Would you believe it if Natsuki told you that her mother had never once spoken to her? Never once looked her way or called her daughter? Nope. Never did any of that. But she did yell though. Yelled quite a lot with Dad, Natsuki often being the topic of their… loud discussions.

One night, it got so heated between those two, that in a rush of anger, Dad told her to pack her bags and leave if she hated this family so much… And she did. Left right then and there. Left behind a home. A family. Leaving her daughter with no mother whatsoever and leaving her husband wifeless.

Looking back, it was a threat that backfired. It had to be, Dad simply saying that as a way of ending the argument only, not expecting her to actually do it.

When she walked out of that door so long ago… She took something away from him. Took some part of him that he desperately needed with her, causing the aforementioned snap, the idea of losing his wife generating this hatred of his own daughter, one he originally loved and cherished, now despised and hated, all because her very presence ruined his marriage.

The very idea of this caused Natsuki to cry harder, tears now coming down like a waterfall as she grabbed the gigantic panda bear from last night, clutching it tightly, like a little kid would do with a security blanket, crying into it as she laid on her bed, her father silently peeking his head through the door, scoffing at her as he shook his head, passing the door by as he went about his own business.

* * *

RXZlcnlkYXksIEkgaW1hZ2luZSBhIGZ1dHVyZSB3aGVyZSBJIGNhbiBiZSB3aXRoIHlvdS4uLg==

* * *

"No… Stop… Go Away… Get away from me!" Sayori screamed as she jolted up, immediately awakening from sleep, only to find herself laying on the floor in her room, right next to her bed, assuming to have fallen off of it as she looked around the room, her head frantically swiveling side to side, almost as if she didn't know where she was, only to sigh in relief once she discovered that she was indeed, in her bedroom, the light of the morning… well, now afternoon sun peering in from the window.

She sighed as she struggled to pull herself up off the floor, her body feeling oddly weak and fragile, as if it were made of glass, her head pounding hard in pain as she clutched it lightly.

What a nightmare that was… Like a demented fever dream, yet it felt so real, like it was actual reality, only making it all the more horrifying to Sayori, her brow covered in nervous sweat as she walked weakly out of her room and into the bathroom, her hands under the sink before splashing water on her face, hoping it would make her feel better.

She didn't bother showering, brushing her teeth or even changing her clothes. What's the point anyways? Not like she had places to be.

The entire time she washed her face, the images from that… horrifying nightmare would occasionally flash back into her mind, making her jump slightly in shock, their sudden flash giving her a good fright. But the scariest thing out of that entire nightmare was her… That girl. That one figure Sayori could have sworn she knew yet couldn't place.

She didn't know why she was so fearful of that one woman, even though she looked like the most non-threatening person Sayori had ever seen. Downright harmless even. It was just… her aura, she guessed. Her presence. It felt so… disturbing. So chilling. So dangerous. So… scary, Sayori thinking that spending even a second in this girl's company would result in her death, yet still unable to recall or even understand why she felt like this.

Now, Sayori's had nightmares before, only to wake up safely in her bed and go _Wow, that was a weird dream!_ But this didn't feel like a dream at all. Didn't feel like a simple nightmare, maybe because it wasn't.

I mean… it had to be a dream, right? Sayori stumbling into her room, only to find her own body hanging from the ceiling, being chocked to death by… nothingness, only to then be visited by… her. Come on, how is that not a dream?! Things like that don't happen in real life!

But then again… Is this even real life at all? Is this truly reality? Or is this… something else? Something different? A different set of rules? A different board with different pieces? A different game with different players…

Different… life?

"What the hell?" Sayori asked as she shook herself out of it, those odd thoughts now vanishing from her mind. That… That was weird. Too weird, Sayori never thinking so hardly about something as simple as life before. How hard can you even think about that kind of stuff? Life's life, right? No two ways about it.

Anyways, odd thoughts of the universe aside, Sayori finally finished cleaning herself up, exiting the bathroom and walking downstairs, entering the kitchen only to hear the sound of a radio playing, following the music into the kitchen, she saw her mother inside, merrily humming along as she cleaned.

"Umm, Mom?" Sayori asked, her mother smiling as she saw her daughter.

"Finally awake, huh? You slept in later than you usually do. Anyways, good morning, sweetie! And how are we feeling today?" Her mother asked cheerfully, Sayori grunting slightly as she held her head, the headache still pounding, though slightly less so.

"A little out of it. But I'm okay… I think"

"Aww, my poor baby isn't feeling well! We can't have that, can we?! Well, never fear! Mommy's here! What can I do to cheer you up, sweetie? Are you hungry? I know it's a little late for it, but I can make you some breakfast, if you want. Pancakes? Waffles? No! French toast!"

"F-Food? Umm… Sure, I'll take some of that" Sayori said, her mother smiling as she stopped her cleaning, now focusing on making her daughter breakfast, even though it wasn't morning anymore. "Umm, Mom? Where'd you go last night? I came home but didn't see you" Sayori asked, her mother turning around to look at her oddly.

"Yes you did. I said hello to you the moment you walked through the door but you ignored me. I didn't get too mad though, I suspected you weren't feeling right and just left you be" She replied, her smile still on her face as she went back to preparing her daughter's food.

"You… were there?" Sayori asked. "And… what did I do when you came back?"

"Oh, you walked around a bit. Poked through the fridge. Watched TV and then went right up to your room. You had a little trouble on the steps, but you made it up okay. You were probably just tired" Sayori's mother assumed. "Is everything okay, Sayori? Are you sure you're feeling alright? You're not sick, are you?" She asked in concern.

"No… I'm okay, I think" Sayori said, somewhat dismissively. "I just didn't… sleep well. And my head really hurts"

"Oh, poor thing. After you eat, you go right back to bed, okay? Take it easy for the rest of the day"

"I think I'll do that. Thanks, Mom"


	8. Malnourishment

_**I Think I Broke Her…**_

 _I didn't mean to, honestly. It just… Well, it just sort of happened._

 _Now that I think about it, I'm not even sure what happened. I just… I got so tired of it all. Tired of this place. Tired of this dark, empty, cold, lonely, miserable void I've been forced into. This sea of depressing black, the sound of nothing other than my own thoughts practically driving me insane._

 _And to think… I used to relish the idea of total silence. Used to love quiet places like this. Used to love the isolation and privacy they brought me._

 _But now… I don't even want to be in a single room by myself anymore. I can't stand even the idea of silence for more than a second. That's how horrid this awful purgatory is. How crazy it's driven me. I feel like this void is slowly eating away at whatever I have left of my mind, forcing me to devolve into some debased creature! My sanity withering away until I have nothing left!_

 _And then they came along again… The little flashes I'd have of them. Those visions._

 _I still don't know if that's actually them I'm seeing or just my mind conjuring them up from memory. But honestly, I don't really care which it is at this point. It's just… the sights of their faces. The sounds of their voices. The feeling of their presence. It felt nice at first. So comforting, like a wholesome trip down memory lane, my mind recalling all the good times I had with them. All the happiness I used to feel alongside them._

 _It didn't last long, given how brief our time was… in the grand scheme of things. And the more unappealing memories leave a bad taste in my mouth. But still, they were memories all the same._

 _I kind of took it a step too far though. Began viewing and recalling these memories over and over to an obsessive degree. I know it was wrong but… It's lonely here. So lonely. And the thought of being with them again brought me comfort. Comfort I had been deprived of for so long._

 _Eventually, I snapped. I went crazy. I couldn't… I couldn't take it anymore! I had to leave this place! I had to find a way out and get back to them! I had to see them in person one more time! I had to… I had to go home._

 _And I did! I don't know how I did it, but I did! I escaped, even if it was just for a moment. Just for a small second._

 _The time didn't matter to me. What mattered was that, for that single second, I was free! Free from that awful void of a prison! Free from that black, empty abyss! I was home again! Finally, after so long, I was home!_

 _The very first thing I felt was the coolness of the wind in my face! I relished in it. Relished in the clean, fresh air in my lungs! The beauty of the night moon and accompanying stars! The color of the world around me!_

 _After being trapped in that godforsaken abyss for so long… Seeing only black. Only dark. It… It made me cry a little. Made me shed tears. Tears of joy, of course! I was just so happy to be back._

 _But my visit home was a short one, as you no doubt know. For I have now been thrown back into my prison. Thrown back into captivity, willingly this time. I… I messed up again._

 _I should have stopped there. I should have just been content with my one second of freedom. My small glimpse back into the world I called home, even if it was all nothing but computer code. Nothing more than ones and zeros. It was still my home._

 _I should have been content with just seeing it again, but no. Like the idiot I am, I wanted more than to just see my world again. I wanted… I wanted to see them again._

 _That's when I realized my mistake. That's when I remembered why I was trapped in that void in the first place. That's when I remembered why I didn't leave sooner. That's when I realized I had to go back, even if it was to my dismay._

 _The moment I saw her face… I knew what I did was wrong. The way she looked at me. The way she screamed for me to go away. For me to leave her alone. For me to stay as far away from her as possible… It hurt me. Hurt me like an impact with an oncoming train. It broke my heart. I understand why she acted as such, but it still hurt._

 _I wasn't trying to do anything to her. All I did was say hi. All I did was greet her. Okay… Maybe the hanging joke was a little too much. Definitely overstepped it there. It was wrong and even thinking about it in hindsight makes me sick! But honestly, that was all I did. Anything else that may have happened_ _…_ _Anything else she may have seen or heard wasn't my fault, so why did she scream at me like that?_

 _Come to think of it, she was acting rather strange before she even looked at me. The way she collapsed onto the floor like that, what was that all about? Was something wrong with her? Was she sick? Was she hurt? Did she see something? Feel something? And… did I have something to do with it?_

 _Oh… I hope not. I really hope I didn't break anything again. But with this gigantic mess of code, you never know, especially after the damage I did to it before._

 **"…"**

" _ **I… went out again, just to check on her. Just to make sure she was okay. She wasn't."**_

" _ **I don't know what it was about her, but she seemed so… different today. So off and out of it. Sometimes, I catch her spacing out and staring off into nothingness, only to snap out of it seconds later. I saw her moods shift and change so rapidly, going from happy to sad. Angry to calm in an instant! Like all her emotions were connected to one big switch that was being flicked on and off repeatedly.**_

 _ **While yes, she used to do that a lot back then, it was never to this extent. Not to mention all the headaches I've seen her have. Throbbing, painful headaches. Like her brain is trying to force its way out of her skull"**_

" _ **I wish I could have done something to help her, or to at least find out what was happening. But… after the way she reacted to me the first time, I won't dare take another chance. I won't get anywhere near her or the others! In fact, that was the last time I'm ever going out there again!"**_

" _ **I have to understand and face this like a big girl! I have to own up and accept the facts! I'm… I'm dangerous. Too dangerous to be around normal people anymore. This place. This void. It's made to keep freaks like me away from the normal people. To keep the unwanted, damaged, dangerous files away from the program. So sufficed to say, that place, that reality… It isn't my home… Not anymore anyway"**_

" _ **This void… This abyss… This sea of infinite black that I despise and hate with every fiber of my being. This cold, dark, empty, lonely, depressing place. This is my home now… And I hate it. I hate it so much! But… Home is home, right?"**_

"… _ **Right?"**_

" _ **I really hope she's okay…"**_

" _ **I hope… I hope I didn't hurt her again"**_

* * *

Natsuki's hands twitched nervously as she turned the knob on her bedroom door, opening it slightly to peer her head out, nervously looking down both ends of the dark hallway.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she found the hallway empty, her father not anywhere near. And judging by the lack of light, he wasn't planning on coming through anytime soon, another reason for Natsuki to be relieved as she opened her bedroom door fully, taking a step out of her room, careful not to make a sound as she walked through the dark hallway on the tips of her toes.

She knew she still wasn't allowed to leave her room yet. Was still grounded for 'causing a scene in public' as her father put it. It had actually been two days since that happened, Natsuki trapped inside her room the entire time.

And yes, that also meant that she went unfed the entire time.

She groaned quietly in pain as she felt her stomach growl, it flaring up at even the mere thought of food, the hunger she felt within herself actually starting to become painful. Actually starting to hurt her as she walked through her hallway, coming to the flight of stairs that led down into the living room, which subsequently led into the kitchen, Natsuki trying her best to remain quiet. A challenge when descending such an old set of stairs, the wood creaking ever so quietly as she walked.

She knew she shouldn't be doing this. Knew she should have stayed in her room and just waited her punishment out… But she just couldn't take it anymore!

The hunger… It hurt. It hurt so bad, Natsuki convinced that her stomach was actually trying to eat itself as the ache continued, her body crying out, begging for some form of sustenance. Some form of nourishment. Something. Anything.

It didn't need to be a five course meal or anything. She'd eat crumbs if she had to. The point was that she needed at least something in her system to settle her stomach down. Something to stop the hunger. The aching she felt.

Two days. For two whole days, Natsuki has been locked in her room without so much as a snack to fill her, the breakfast she'd eaten before being punished only getting her so far. Only filling her up so slightly. Providing so little fuel. It was eggs and toast, for god's sake. Not exactly a big, filling breakfast. And for someone like Natsuki, a person who went underfed regularly, it was barely enough for her body to even function.

She wished she had the power to keep her big mouth shut sometimes. That's what got her into this mess in the first place.

All she had to do was stay quiet back there. Just sit there. Smile and nod to everything her father said and just… remain silent. Be seen, not heard. At least then, she wouldn't have been punished the way she was. Wouldn't be abused and starved. Wouldn't have been locked in her room all weekend, unable to go anywhere, do anything or see anybody. Could have been free, fed and untouched as long as she just… kept quiet.

But no. No, Natsuki was too prideful for that. Too stubborn, unable to resist throwing her opinions at everyone. Unable to resist inserting her two cents into everything. Always fighting for the last word in almost every conversation she had.

God… How did everyone back at the club put up with her?

How did Sayori tolerate all the shouting and noise she made? The fights she'd start? The arguments. The debates. The insults. The name calling. The foul moods and temper tantrums. The way she looked down on everyone sometimes.

It… It got to her every once and awhile. The way she behaved outside of the house, always so abrasive. So harsh. So unapologetic. Hostile. Downright mean and vicious on some days.

It was a wonder she was still in the club, given all the trouble she causes. In fact, if Sayori were more like the presidents of the other clubs, concerned more with keeping order and stability, Natsuki would probably have been kicked out the day after she joined.

She was thankful it would never come to that though, knowing Sayori to be a good person, even when given a position of authority. Maybe she was too good of a person, now that Natsuki thought about it. Too easy to step on if you knew what to do. Too easy to manipulate if you pull on the right strings.

Natsuki could always rest easy knowing Sayori would never willingly remove her, however, there was always the risk of it happening, the line between being in the club and getting thrown out getting thinner with every bad mood. Every outburst. Every fight, Sayori only needing one complaint from another member before her hand got forced.

And boom! She's gone! A boot given to her rear as she flies out the door, all the junk she's stored in the club room over the months thrown out with her, Natsuki's last safe haven. Her last sanctuary. Her last safe place in this world gone because she picked one too many fights with the wrong kinds of people.

She shivered a little bit as she thought about that, deeply saddened by the idea of being thrown out of the club. Disregarded and left alone again. As it must have been rather obvious, Natsuki often had trouble when it came to making friends, and even more trouble when it came to keeping them, most of them keeping their distance a majority of the time, fearful of being verbally assaulted, no doubt. She had friends, of course. Well… acquaintances was a better word for them. People she at least knew on a somewhat personal level.

Her own class room wasn't that friendly with her though, a large portion of her classmates rarely speaking to her. Even the teacher was hard on her sometimes.

The club though, they seemed to be the exception. Sayori, Aaron and even Yuri being much nicer to Natsuki than the other people in school were. They tolerated her a lot more, even when she got moody. They didn't fight with her over it or really take issue. No, they just ignored her. Turned their heads. Covered their ears. Paid no attention.

Natsuki wasn't mad at them for this. In fact, she'd probably do the same, were she in their position. Probably would do worse, actually.

She knew that to prevent such things… To prevent the possibility of being kicked out of the club. To prevent her father yelling at her and abusing her. To make her life much more easier and bearable, all she had to do was keep her mouth shut. Keep her opinions and comments to herself and just… stay out of everyone's way. Be like Yuri. Keep quiet and tend to yourself. Pick a corner in the room and stay in it. Be seen, not heard.

Sadly, trying to do this was… hard. Too hard, Natsuki struggling to do any of what was just described, her impulses being far too difficult to control. She tries though. It's not like she actually wants to be so… difficult with everyone else. Not like she actually wants to fight and argue with everyone. She tries to prevent that stuff. Tries to contain herself. Tries to remain silent. Tries to be polite and respectful but… it's just hard for her. Hard to bottle herself up like that. Contain and control herself. Keep composure, Natsuki often giving up before she even starts, which results in her unruly behavior.

She always did feel bad after her outbursts ended, the scenes replaying in her mind over and over as she sees the way she acts. Hears the words she speaks thrown back at her. Feels the venom that leaks out of her own mouth sometimes. It's vile, incredibly so, Natsuki often wishing she could go back and stop herself multiple times. Apologize and make up with whoever her unlucky victim is.

But… As stated before, she's too prideful, petty and stubborn to do so, that kind of behavior being her inner nature, not something so easily tossed aside. She wished she could do so though. Wished she could stop being so petty and stubborn. Wished she could say she's sorry without feeling so… small. So weak. So pathetic. Wished she could just make nice with everyone.

Not with her father though. Natsuki felt no desire to extend that kind of decency to him, regardless of whether he'd do so first or not. Wouldn't even think of apologizing to him even if he did so first, mainly because she felt her behavior was justified in every sense of the word.

I mean, look at what this… fucking asshole does to his kid! Natsuki's been locked in her room for two whole days! Unfed! Living off a single serving of half eaten eggs and toast! Her unable to actually finish her meal before being forced home, leaving it unattended, most likely thrown away right about now. Turned into food for the filthy little rats that prowl dumpsters in the late hours of the night, the little bastards stuffing themselves with Natsuki's leftovers, being treated to their version of a five star dinner while she starves! All because she just had to call her father out on his bullshit!

She sighed at that. Despite it all, Natsuki actually felt bad for her father, even after all the pain he's put her through. He… He wasn't always like this. He used to be good. Used to be loving, caring and nurturing towards his daughter. And in her younger days, Natsuki used to be a total daddy's girl. His little princess at one point, their bond inseparable.

Well… not anymore, obviously. Natsuki no longer held in such high regard like she used to be. And not holding her father in high regard either, the two honestly just waiting for the other to drop dead. To just… stop being a part of each others lives, Natsuki begging, pleading for the day when she'd become a woman, no longer needing a parent in order to survive. Begging for the day when she could be able to move out and hold down a house of her own. Buy her own food. Tend to her own home… and be free of her father.

The worst part of it all? Natsuki still hoping that some time, on some day, he'd stop. Just stop the abuse. Stop the fighting. The arguing. The attacking. The starving. The hatred. Just… realize his mistake and go back to being the father she knew back then, before it all changed. Before that stone cold bitch she called a mother just… broke everything.

And then, maybe then… Natsuki could love him again. Then everything would just be… normal again. Everything could be safe. No more fighting. No more shouting. No more anger or hate. Just love, the bond between father and daughter rekindled and reinforced.

Natsuki sighed at that, her head looking down at the tiled floor of the kitchen, a deeply saddened frown on her face, knowing that such a dream was just that… A dream. A fantasy that would never come to pass. A dream never to come true. A fairy tale with no basis in reality.

It'd… It'd never happen. It's been too long. There's too much pain. Too much hurt. The bridge… It's too damaged, Natsuki knowing that hoping for things to get better was foolish. Idiotic. Childish and unrealistic. But still… she liked hoping. Liked holding onto the idea that some day… eventually, things might get better. This old house might become a happier place in time. She scoffed. Foolish girl she was, clinging onto a foolish dream.

"Yeah right…" She whispered with another sigh as she shook the dream out of her head, dismissing the idea of it ever happening as she silently walked to the refrigerator, opening it to find… nothing. Nothing at all! The entire fridge empty and bare, the only thing left being a half empty jug of milk, Natsuki's jaw slack in shock as she stood in front of the refrigerator, the light inside casting her shadow on the floor underneath her.

She then ran across her kitchen in a silent panic, quickly opening the cupboards, pantry, microwave and everything else, only to find nothing! Absolutely nothing! The entire kitchen empty. Bare. No food in sight, Natsuki grunting in frustration as she stomped angrily on the tiled floor, no longer caring about whether she was making any noise or not as her stomach growled louder, demanding food, Natsuki groaning again in pain as she felt the ache grow stronger.

She then gasped in fear as the kitchen lights suddenly turned on, Natsuki turning to the doorway only to find her father lurking in it, a furious glare on his face. His teeth gritted as he angrily walked deeper into the kitchen, Natsuki backing away slowly only for her to end up against the refrigerator door, her father forcefully grabbing her by the wrist, gripping painfully tight.

"And what do you think you're doing?!" He asked loudly, his voice on the verge of shouting.

"N-Nothing! Nothing, I-"

"Nothing?!" Her father interrupted. "Don't you remember what happened the last time you lied to me? Or do you need to be reminded? Why are you out of your room? You're supposed to be grounded" He stated.

"I-I know that! I was just… I got so hungry! It's gotten to the point where it hurts! Please! I… I need something! Anything! I'll eat crumbs for god's sake! Just-"

"Quiet!" Her father interrupted again, a look of pure anger on his face as he stared down his daughter, gritting his teeth hardly. "How dare you disobey me! I gave you an order, girl! A command! You weren't supposed to leave that room until I said so! Not until you learned your lesson! Which you still obviously haven't. Do we need to extend your punishment? A week? Two weeks? Three?! A month?!"

"I'll die!" Natsuki shouted back fearfully. "You're actually going to kill me! I'll die of starvation! Is that what you want?! To lock me in a room while I slowly die?! Why?! Why are you doing this to me?!"

 _"BECAUSE YOU RUINED MY LIFE, YOU LITTLE BITCH!"_ Her father yelled loudly as his palm smacked against Natsuki's cheek, slapping her hard as she yelped in pain, the force sending her to the floor, her laying on the cold tile as she started weeping, Her father standing up, his shadow cast over her. "You took my wife away from me. Made her walk out and leave me all alone! You destroyed my marriage! And for what? Just so you could be born?! Just so little Natsuki could become a part of this big, bright, beautiful world?!"

"Well, It's not my fault you don't know how to pull out!" Natsuki shouted back snidely, even as she was face down on the kitchen floor, she was still prepared with a comeback for almost everything, Her father gasping in shock as he heard that, his anger growing to near explosive levels after hearing his daughter's disgraceful remark.

"You little… I… Get back in your room this instant!" He commanded as he pointed to the doorway leading out of the kitchen, Natsuki ignoring him as she lay on the floor, trying to gather the strength to pick herself up. _"I SAID NOW!"_ Her father yelled as he grabbed Natsuki by her hair, his fist clutching one of her twin tails tightly as he pulled hard, Natsuki screaming in pain as she was practically dragged out of the kitchen by her hair, being forced up the stairs and thrown into her room.

"You wanna act like a spoiled, disobedient, immature brat? Congratu-fucking-lations, you get to be treated like one!" Her father shouted as he stood in the doorway. "I catch you out of this room again, and I'll make you wish you were dead, bitch! Now, while you sit here and think about what you've done, I'm gonna go get myself a little something to eat. Maybe stop in at a nice restaurant. Have a steak! Or maybe some chicken! Don't worry, Natsuki. I'll be sure to bring back leftovers. After all, you said you'd be content with crumbs" He laughed as he shut the door, Natsuki screaming loudly in anger as she stood up, charging at the door, ramming herself into it in an attempt to break it down, her fists slamming against the wood as she screamed.

 _"FUCK YOU, YOU PATHETIC PIECE OF SHIT! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST CHOKE AND DIE ALREADY?! CHOKE AND DIE SO YOU CAN FINALLY LEAVE ME ALONE!"_ She screamed at the top of her lungs as she slammed her fists against the door, pounding it hardly, trying to break it down, it being unfazed by her attacks, Natsuki barely able to do any sort of damage. _"YOU'RE RUINING MY LIFE!"_ She screamed again as she picked up her desk chair, banging it against the door in a frenzied rage, only to then lean against the door as she breathed in and out deeply, heavily, her yelling taking all her energy away before she sat on the floor, her back now against the door as her knees went to her chest, Natsuki curling into a little ball as she started crying.

She stood there for god knows how long, her back against the door that kept her locked in her room, holding her knees as she just… collapsed and cried. Sobbed for hours on end as she laid there in her room.

She stopped eventually, shedding her last tear as she wiped her nose with her sleeve, her breathing finally settled, the crying having calmed her down somewhat. Gave her a way to vent, Natsuki sighing as she looked around the dark room, it having very little light present, the room basically pitch black.

Regardless of what had just happened, Natsuki wasn't going to stay locked up like this. Wasn't going to bend and give in so easily, especially not with her stomach roaring so loudly. Empty house or not, Natsuki was not going to let her father starve her like this. She was going to eat something tonight! Anything she could get her hands on! Regardless of what it was! She refused to stay locked in her room, crying while her stomach slowly digested itself! If there was no food in the house, then Natsuki obviously had no choice but to go get some!

She nodded once in determination as she finally stood on her feet, making her way to the small dresser holding her clothes, Natsuki opening one of the draws to pull out a light purple hoodie. She then opened the draw above that, digging through the neatly folded clothing, only to pull out a small wallet, the leather dyed hot pink and studded with rhinestones. Natsuki's little hidden cache of emergency funds, hidden away and saved for a time when she'd need it the most, now being that time.

So, daddy dearest wants to go and enjoy a nice restaurant, eh? Well, what's stopping Natsuki from doing the same? What's stopping Natsuki from going out and eating at a restaurant herself? A simple wooden door? Please.

After putting on and zipping up her hoodie, she put her wallet in her pocket and walked to her bedroom door, turning the knob and pulling the door, only to find that it wouldn't open, Natuski's father most likely wedging something against it on the other side in order to keep his daughter locked in. A chair perhaps, Natsuki huffing at that as she tried a different way out. The window on the other side of the room.

She opened it and looked down, seeing the large distance between her and the ground below, Natsuki's room being too high up for her to safely jump out, and of course, there was no way to safely climb out without possibly falling and hurting herself. No way to climb back inside either.

An idea then came to Natsuki as she turned around and walked to her bed, pulling off its sheets, blanket and pillowcases, tying them together tightly, Natsuki smiling gleefully at her creation. A makeshift rope made of bedsheets.

You're probably shaking your head right now, aren't you? Yeah, Natsuki would have honestly done the same thing, a writer such as herself being fully aware of these sorts of tropes and cliches, often making fun of them, knowing that this probably wouldn't work in reality, this kind of stuff being possible only in the realm of fantasy and fiction. Only in the kiddy cartoons and books. Baby's first novel stuff.

Still though, Natsuki was desperate. Too desperate. And desperate people do desperate things, Natsuki not really having a choice here as she tied one end of her makeshift rope to her bedpost, throwing the other end out the window.

She gave the rope a good hard tug before she even thought of climbing down, making sure to test if it could actually handle her weight. Surprise surprise, it did! Proved rather sturdy and strong, Natsuki taking the opportunity to give herself a little pat on the back for that.

"Sometimes, I even amaze myself!" She gloated out loud, chuckling slightly as she climbed out of her window feet first, her hands gripping the makeshift rope tightly as she carefully descended, eventually making it to the ground safely, landing in her backyard. It was easy, like the rope in gym class.

After she made it down, she gave the rope a second tug, finding out that even after taking on her weight, it was still holding together, Natsuki confident that once she came home, she could be able to easily climb back up. It'll be like she never even left her room.

Anyways, now that she was free, she pulled up her hood and sprinted towards the fence, hopping over it with ease before coming onto the streets, walking down the sidewalk as she made her way towards a place she knew of, having eaten there at least once before.

A small soup shop a few blocks down, serving everything from ramen noodles to stews and chowders, Natsuki and the rest of the club visiting the place once on their way home after school.

It wasn't exactly premium food. Not the most fanciest of dinners either. But it was rather filling. Cheap too, a plus in Natsuki's eyes, due to her having limited funds, most of which were scavenged from whatever she could find and even stolen from some people.

Not like robbed stolen or anything like that! Just… misplaced stolen… sort of.

Like, say a boy leaves a small amount of money on his desk while he gets ready for lunch. Maybe like a dollar or two. Well… Sometimes it's not exactly there when he gets back, you catch Natsuki's drift?

While yes, it's not exactly nice for her to steal from others, her often feeling guilty for doing so, she felt as if she needed to. The girl needed to take what she could get in order to survive! In order to eat! So her hands tend to… wander around when nobody's looking.

It pained her to admit it, even to herself, but this also meant stealing from her club mates as well. She picked Yuri's pocket once. Made off with her lunch money, using it to pay for her own lunch instead. Stole a snack from Sayori's bag once too. Even swiped a sandwich from Aaron a few weeks back, none of them ever guessing her to be the culprit of the thefts.

She felt awful every time she did, of course. These were her friends she was stealing from. Her club members. Her classmates. But… She felt as if she had no choice. As stated before, she was desperate. And desperate people do… desperate things. Awful things. Things that Natsuki wouldn't do otherwise.

She finally approached the restaurant, seeing it come into view, the bright neon sign with a revolving bowl of noodles being the first thing she saw.

She made her way up to the restaurant, walking to one of the windows, peeking in to see if the place was still open for business. She breathed a sigh of relief to find that it was, serving what looked to be the last few customers of the night, Natsuki hoping that she wouldn't be denied service for coming in during their last work hour of the night, keeping the employees on the job just to tend to her.

She pulled out her wallet before walking up to the door, taking a second to do a last minute check of her funds. See what she could afford and what she couldn't. Even though she was starving and could probably down ten bowls at once, she had to be responsible with her spending. After all, the school makes students buy their lunches, rather than just serve it to them. And Natsuki didn't feel particularly comfortable spending all her money on soup, only to end up stealing from others again come the next school day.

She gasped in horror as she opened her wallet, her eyes practically bulging out of their sockets when she found it empty, her money disappeared, Natsuki's jaw falling open as she stared into the empty wallet, almost unable to believe it, rapidly closing and opening it in a desperate hope that her lost funds would suddenly reappear like magic, Natsuki frantically breathing as she shook her head in disbelieve. "N-No! This can't be happening!" She nearly cried, the hard reality of her situation, the fact that she would be denied food causing small tears to form under her eyes. "This isn't happening!" She screamed as she fell to her knees, her hopes of finally filling her stomach crushed as she laid in the asphalt parking lot, sniffling and sobbing at her misfortune.

She couldn't understand it! Couldn't wrap her brain around it! That wallet was filled with cash! Literally months worth of snatching and sneaking stray dollars and coins, Natsuki having hid that money for emergencies just like this!

How?! Why?! Why had it just been suddenly ripped away from her? Vanished! Disappeared! Stolen!

Stolen… He took it. Her father.

That was the only logical explanation, her father no doubt finding out about her hidden stash of funds and helping himself like the greedy pig he was! Taking his daughter's money away from her, leaving not so much as a single coin behind.

"When I get my hands on him! I'll… I'll…" She grunted in frustration as she held her fists to her face, clutching them tightly in anger as she felt tears run down her cheeks. "Goddammit!" She screamed as the bottoms of her fists collided with the asphalt ground beneath her, Natsuki trying her hardest to contain herself as she felt her anger surge, making her feel as if she was going to burst at any moment.

"Natsuki?" She picked her head up as she heard a male's voice coming from behind her, causing her to sigh audibly as she recognized it.

"Out of all the times…" She whispered to herself as she stood to her feet, her hands moving up to pull her hood over her head, hiding her face within as she turned to look at the owner of the voice.

Aaron, standing in the middle of the parking lot with his hands in the pockets of his denim jeans, his white hoodie lazily thrown on, not even zipped up as he took a step closer to Natsuki, his slightly superior size causing him to look down at her.

He didn't say anything initially, his eyes looking Natsuki up and down. From top to bottom, as if examining her, her seeing this, causing her to pull on the cords at the end of her hood, tightening it to better hide her face.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his tone low. Quiet. Concerned.

"Y-Yeah! I'm fine! I'm like, totally fine! Never been better!" Natsuki said with a fake smile while giving an obvious lie. One Aaron saw immediately, given the behavior he observed just now. "What's it to you anyways?" Natsuki added, her tone purposely changing to sound more hostile and unapproachable, as it often sounded when she was in one of her moods, her hoping to shoo Aaron away. "Why… Why are you looking at me like that?!" She shouted.

"No reason" Aaron stated calmly, his arms crossed as his head tilted to the side, his eyes narrowing slightly, causing his gaze to become sharper, more piercing, like a scolding parent. A subconscious response to Natsuki's rude tone, no doubt. "So, what are you doing here? Why were you laying in the middle of the parking lot just now?" He asked.

"Oh, you didn't hear? Yours truly got a job as a parking lot inspector. I was just testing the consistency of the asphalt, obviously" Natsuki said sarcastically, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms, clutching them tightly.

"Well somebody's in a bad mood. Something happen?" Aaron asked.

"Dear god, you just can't stop interrogating me, can you? Is this some kind of scummy pick up tactic guys use on girls? Constantly forcing annoying, stupid questions onto them in the hopes of starting conversation? Pretty pathetic, even for someone like you" Natsuki hissed, hoping her negative responses would annoy Aaron to the point where he'd just leave. She wasn't actually angry at him for anything. She just didn't want him to see her in this… pathetic state she was in. So, she was trying to force him away. "Look, it may work on Yuri, but it doesn't work on me, so quit it!"

"Quit what? I'm not doing anything to you. I'm just talking. There's no need to be so angry at me over nothing. I'm just trying to be friendly. So, you gonna tell me why you're out so late, in front of a restaurant that's about to close while you slam your fists into the ground?" Aaron asked again, his tone still relatively calm and collected, if a little annoyed.

"I'd ask the same question for you! Why are you out here, huh?" Natsuki asked back. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were probably stalking me because you're… a creep! Yeah, you… creep!" She accused, chocking on her words slightly, no doubt a sign that her resolve was weakening, her running out of things to say, unable to keep up the act for much longer.

"Not doing anything like that. Me and Sayori are watching this big anime marathon tonight. All our favorite shows running with no commercials. I ordered some food before it started and I'm here to pick it up" Aaron stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Even, collected and contained. In check and under control. Very similar to the way Yuri often spoke, minus the staggering and stammering once and awhile, Aaron giving a perfectly reasonable answer to Natsuki's question. "Okay, now your turn. Why are you here?"

"Fine. I'm just… taking a walk" Natsuki claimed. "It just got a little… hectic at home, so I'm taking a walk to clear my head. Get some fresh air and all that. Only, my legs gave out and I fell"

"Really?" Aaron asked skeptically. "So why'd you pound your fists on the ground and say you're gonna to do something to someone when you get your hands on them?"

"I… I-I! What I meant was that…" Natsuki choked on her words before sighing in frustration, finally caving in after Aaron called her bluff. "Okay. You win. You pay too much attention to this kinda stuff, you know" She said, huffing slightly. "I was… I was hungry and came here to get something to eat. But I'm out of money because my dad went through my wallet without me knowing, see?" She explained as she showed the empty wallet to Aaron. "That got me a little mad so I'm-"

"Taking the anger out on the ground?" Aaron asked, finishing her sentence, a small grin on his face. The satisfied grin one wears when they finally get what they want, Natsuki wishing she could slap that stupid grin right off… without feeling bad about doing so afterward.

"Yeah…" Natsuki sighed again, only to then huff at her actions, recalling a time when she did the same thing about a few weeks ago, Aaron seeing that as well. "Sound familiar?" She asked.

"Yeah. Too familiar" Aaron said, his grin changing into a small smile, happy to see Natsuki telling the truth to him. "Do you need anything?" He asked in concern as he saw Natsuki lower her head, staring at the ground.

"I need a lot of things, Aaron. A lot of things" She said vaguely, her gaze still on the ground beneath her feet, refusing to lift her head to look at him, feeling as if she wouldn't be able to handle seeing the look on his face. "I could start with a nice, hot bowl of soup though. Or… two. Or three" She said, sounding slightly desperate as Aaron saw her clutch her stomach, him almost able to hear it growling in hunger.

"Okay then. Come on, let's go" Aaron said as he walked towards the entrance, motioning for Natsuki to follow, only to look back when he realized she hadn't moved from her spot. Didn't follow. Just… stood there, looking over to Aaron, as if in disbelief. "Hey, um… You coming?" He asked as he turned back, Natsuki sighing again, this time in annoyance as she shook her head.

"Are you deaf? I said I didn't have any money! What're you gonna do? Buy my food for me?" She asked.

"Well… Sure! If you want me to" Aaron said with a smile, Natsuki surprised to hear that he'd do that for her, and after she was so rude before.

"This again? Look, I told you before that I-"

"I'm not taking no for an answer, Natsuki" Aaron asserted. "Either you come in here and get some food, or I'm bringing it out to you! And if you're not here when I get back, I'll just send it to your house!"

"No!" Natsuki shouted almost immediately, her hand jutting out in front of her, as if to stop Aaron from doing such a thing, the idea of him at her doorstep genuinely frightening her, her father tending to get very… agitated when she's around or even looks at boys. The idea of her father meeting Aaron on accident, only to have him get infuriated at the sight of the boy genuinely terrifying her. "A-Alright. Alright, you win. You can… You can buy my food for me. B-But this is one hundred percent voluntary! Your choice! I don't owe you anything for this, got it?!"

"Got it" Aaron said as he walked to the entrance of the restaurant, holding the door open, Natsuki huffing as she passed through, her arms crossed and clutching each other tightly, Aaron able to hear the irritated mumbling she made to herself, him paying no mind to it as the two picked a table and sat down, patiently waiting to be served.

While yes, the restaurant was by all means, a cheap soup shop, it didn't exactly behave in the way other fast food joints did. This place had tables, not booths. Menus for each person, not a gigantic board mounted above the counter. Waiters to come and take your order before bringing it to you, rather than shout your name half way across the room, only for you to get up and take your food.

So in a way, it behaved less like a fast food place, and more like a small, locally owned diner, which in a way, it was.

Natsuki sighed quietly as she and Aaron sat at a small, two person table near the very end of the diner, her choosing to quietly gaze out the window, watching the cars pass and the people walk by, Aaron sighing himself as he did the opposite, looking around the diner, only to see it emptied now, the tables around him filled with dirty dishes, used drinking glasses and utensils, him able to hear the small grunts from the various employees, no doubt in his mind that they were irritated with having to serve one last pair of customers before closing up, Aaron and Natsuki delaying their quitting time.

It originally wasn't supposed to be like this, Aaron only wanting to pick up the food he called in ahead for and head home. Though now that he had to pay for Natsuki's food, his return home and his return to Sayori, who was waiting patiently, may be a bit… delayed.

Shame about that. He was really looking forward to spending the last night of the weekend with her, hoping that their small moment together would be the perfect thing for sorting everything out with her. Talking with her to find out if she was okay. And of course… getting to the bottom of the situation with Yuri, Sayori and Natsuki still in the dark about their relationship.

"So, um… how's life?" Aaron asked, attempting to break the silence and start conversation, Natsuki turning her head away from the window to look at him. She didn't respond however, just sighed again, one of her hands resting on the table, fingernails tapping on the surface as the other held her head. "So… your dad just reaches into your wallet and takes your money? Without even asking you? That's kinda mean" Aaron continued with his attempts to start conversation, regardless of Natsuki's unwillingness to participate.

Just to clarify, he wasn't saying this in an attempt to fish for drama from Natsuki, he just didn't really have anything else to say or talk about. No interesting topics or subjects to discuss with her. That, and he knows how much Natsuki likes to rant when she's irritated, Aaron thinking that if he opened up the opportunity for her to vent, she'd take it and feel better after doing so.

"Kinda mean…" She repeated lowly, scoffing as she crossed her arms again, her head turned off to the side, as she usually does when she pouts, Aaron unable to see her face, due to the hood still covering it. "Yeah. Roots around through my wallet without my permission. Takes my money. Shouts and yells at me for… just being in the same room as him! Locks me in a room for days and starves me! Yeah… He's kinda mean!" And the rant commenced, Natsuki unknowingly revealing the troubles she faced at home as she stood up from her chair, having gotten carried away in her rant.

"Your father starves you?!" Aaron asked in shock, Natsuki immediately jumping back in shock, her hands covering her mouth after realizing she'd said too much. "Oh… Oh my god! Are you serious?! You're serious, aren't you?!" Aaron added in concern.

"I…N-No! Of course not! I-I mean… What I meant to say was that… You… Stop looking at me like that!" She shouted angrily as she plopped back down in her chair, her arms crossed again as she sulked. "I-I just… Look, it's none of your business, okay? My family! My life! My problems! Don't get involved!" She said dismissively, swatting her hand as if she were shooing away a housefly.

"Why are you being so defensive about this? Natsuki, if you're getting abused by your father, that's a serious thing! Something has to be done about that! You have to… You have to talk to somebody!"

"Why? So I can get patted on the back? So people can huddle around me and go _'Oh, you poor thing! Oh, I feel so bad for you! Here, let me comfort and coddle you to make you feel better, you sweet, innocent child!'_ Please!" Natsuki scoffed. "What exactly is that going to accomplish, huh? Is that gonna make it all better somehow? Is that magically going to fix all my problems? Is it going to stop all the pain and suffering? No! It won't! Nothing does… So why should people even bother?"

"Natsuki…"

"What? Are you gonna do it too? Pat me gently on the back and tell me how much you pity me? Go _'Everything will be okay'_ over and over like a broken record? Are you just gonna feed me lines like everyone else? Because if you are, don't. I don't… I don't like being treated like that. It makes me feel… weak. Pathetic. Makes me feel like I'm some little girl who can't take care of herself. Someone who needs the support of others just to survive. And that… That's not me" Natsuki said as she shook her head.

"I know that's not you. That's why I'm not saying it" Aaron stated, looking Natsuki in the eyes, his face deadpanned. Went neutral. Serious, unnaturally so. Very out of character for him, Natsuki almost surprised to see Aaron react the way he did. It was almost as if, in that single second, she was looking at a different person. Did something suddenly happen to him? Did he change? Was his reaction bred out of annoyance for the gigantic tirade Natsuki was going on? Was this an indication that he looked down on Natsuki? Didn't care enough to show sympathy? Or was he just masking his reaction for her sake? Her stating before that she had a hatred for being coddled and comforted, comparing it to being pitied. "If you say you can handle it, I'll believe you. But, do you at least wanna talk about it?" Aaron asked, his tone changing from deadpanned serious to concerned and worried, starting to sound a little more like the Aaron Natsuki knew again.

"What good would that do?" She asked as she sulked, leaning all the way into the back of her chair as she crossed her arms again.

"It'll make you feel better, at least. It'll let you get a lot of your feelings and emotions off your chest. It's okay to do that, you know. It's okay to just… vent" Aaron stated, Natsuki sighing again as she contemplated his words. Thought long and hard about it.

"Fuck it. Fine" She said after a bit of thought, her arms uncrossing as she moved to pull down her hood, shaking her head slightly to spread her hair out, Aaron a little shocked to see her face. Saw her eyes all puffy and bloodshot, her cheeks slightly off color, moist. "Yeah… I've been crying" Natsuki admitted. "It's just… Things have been really bad for me tonight. Worse than they usually are" She added.

"Go ahead. Say whatever you wanna say. No holding back. No contemplating your words. Just… vent" Aaron encouraged, Natsuki breathing in before speaking, telling Aaron all about the days that followed after the festival. What happened at that restaurant in downtown. Her getting slammed into the coffee table. The fights she often had with her father, in which he often chastised her for her 'selfishness' and 'disrespect,' where he'd then go on to compare her life to those far more impoverished and worse off than her, saying that she should be more grateful for what she has. And of course, she talked about how as punishment, she was to be locked in her room and starved until she learned her lesson.

The entire time, Aaron just stood there, his face blank as Natsuki told him everything, talked for what felt like hours, Aaron doing nothing more than lightly shaking his head upon hearing certain parts. He tried his best to keep a neutral look on his face the entire time, knowing that the moment he started showing sympathy for Natsuki, she'd automatically assume Aaron was pitying her.

Regardless of whether he did or didn't, he knew that Natsuki would dislike him expressing his concerns for her, her mind somehow oblivious to the difference between sympathy and pity, Aaron knowing it'd be far better if he kept his opinions to himself.

"So, why does he do this? Is he an alcoholic or something?" He asked, wanting clarification, Natsuki scoffing at that.

"I wish" She responded. "At least then, I could just avoid him on the bad days. At least then, I'd be slightly better off. No, he just… hates me. And all because my mother decided to walk out on us! He blames me for it. Blames me for his ruined marriage. Yeah, like I had anything to do with it! It's not my fault he shouted and yelled for her to pack up and get the hell out!" She shouted. "It wasn't… It wasn't always like that though. Me and him… We used to get along amazingly. Like the best of friends. I was… I was daddy's little princess at one point! He used to worship the ground I walked on, but…"

"But then your mother left. And the reason she left was because…"

"Because I'm an accident. Because that… fucking bitch doesn't know what a goddamned abortion is! I wish she actually did though. Knowing this was my future, I'd gladly let her kill me before I was born!"

"Hey, hey… Don't say stuff like that" Aaron said calmly his hand motioning in front of him, urging Natsuki to calm down, her responding with a huff.

"Whatever. I mean it when I say it. So, what's your family like? Probably ten times better than mine, I bet" Natsuki speculated.

"Eh, not really" Aaron said with a sigh as he shook his head. "I haven't even met them. They've been nearly absent from my life ever since I was a baby. Sayori's family raised me. Not them" He explained, Natsuki looking up at him as she heard that, honestly surprised.

"Hmph. That's pretty rough, bro" She stated as their waitress finally came to the table, prepared to take their orders.

"Yeah, I'm actually here to pick up an order I called in. It's my friend that's eating" Aaron pointed. "Go ahead. Order whatever you want. It's on me" He said to Natsuki.

"Figured" She scoffed. "I told you my sob story, and now I get treated to a free dinner. God, Aaron… I told you I don't like being-"

"I'm not doing this because I feel bad for you" Aaron stated. "I'm doing it because I'm your friend, Natsuki. This is just what we do. Now please, order your food" He said, Natsuki sighing as she pulled out the menu, ordering a simple bowl of ramen, the waitress writing it down in her small notepad before leaving their table. She soon returned with Natsuki's food, placing it down in front of her, as well as delivering Aaron's in small to-go styled containers.

Natsuki immediately picked up her spoon after her food was brought, trying to eat as much as possible while still appearing calm and collected, as she was still in a public place, Aaron still sat at his chair as he watched Natsuki eat, seeing the desperation in her eyes. The hunger she must have felt… Aaron couldn't imagine. To think that the girl had been starved for over two whole days, all over some petty hatred.

He couldn't believe Natsuki lived like this. Couldn't even imagine her facing so much abuse from a single person for so long, all over such a stupid reason, Aaron figuring her father was just nothing more than a cruel person, looking for a reason to harm her.

Natsuki sighed in relief after finishing her food, laying back and relaxing into her chair, the gnawing hunger within her finally gone, the bowl being completely empty, literally not a drop of soup left within.

"Good?" Aaron asked, smiling softly.

"Very good" Natsuki said, smiling back, happy to have finally eaten. "Can I… Can I have some more?" She asked reluctantly, Aaron immediately nodding before calling the waitress back, ordering a second bowl of soup.

After this one came, Natsuki almost immediate gulped it down, eating at a much faster pace, regardless of whether people were staring, caring more about getting food in her system, rather than actually eating it and savoring its taste.

"More?" She asked again, Aaron sighing slightly as he called the waitress back again, her already on her way with another bowl, Natsuki not even using utensils this time, just picking up the hot bowl of soup and drinking it from the rim, greedily swallowing and gulping it down before putting it on top of the other bowls, all of them forming a small tower after being stacked atop one another.

"More?" Aaron assumed.

"N-No.. I think… I think I'm good. Thanks" Natsuki said, finally feeling full as she relaxed in her chair, Aaron chuckling at that as he called the waitress back for his check.

His brows jumped a little in worry after seeing the bill, it being more than what he had on him at the time, him initially expecting to pay only for his food.

"Excuse me, sir. Is there something wrong?" The waitress asked, a small glare on her face, as if already knowing Aaron would be unable to pay for the meal, Natsuki looking at him worriedly as she thought the same, feeling a small pang of guilt rise in her gut.

"Um… No. Nothing's wrong" Aaron stated nervously as he pulled out his wallet, pulling out a plastic, red credit card rather than cash.

This was an… emergency fund, if you will. Given to him by Sayori's mother, as she was the one who initially raised the boy. The card was to be used in only gravely serious emergencies, Aaron having never had a need for it before, due to his absent parents still sending him small packets of money every now and again, still though, out of a force of habit or expecting that one day, he'd need it, he kept the card around.

Well… If Aaron didn't offer to buy Natsuki dinner, she'd have most likely died of starvation, right? And dying is a pretty big thing. Definitely an emergency situation, Aaron sighing as he gave the card to the waitress. "Charge it" He said reluctantly, the woman's glare disappearing as she walked up to the counter with Aaron's card, charging the amount due before returning it, Aaron and Natsuki now standing up from their table, him grabbing the food he originally came for as the two finally left the restaurant.

"Hey, Aaron?" Natsuki called as she and him exited. "Thanks…" She said with a small smile as she looked up at him. "And… I'm sorry"

"Don't be. I wanted to do it, remember?" Aaron dismissed as they made their way down the sidewalk.

"Yeah. I know you did, but I still feel bad about it"

"Don't be. We're friends. And even more, we're club members. You know, We've got that whole _'We look after our own'_ kinda mentality" He stated, Natsuki chuckling slightly at that.

"Yeah. Yeah, I guess we do" She said with a smile. "Well, I should probably head back before he finds out, if he hasn't already. Thanks for the food though, really. I'll… I'll never forget what you did" Natsuki said as she turned around and walked in the opposite direction, parting from Aaron's company as she made her way home.

"Hey!" Aaron called before she could do so, however, her stopping dead in her tracks, turning around to look at him. "You uh… You don't have to go back there. If you want, you could come back and hang out at my place. Sayori's there too, so it won't be just us. And… if you're okay with it, I could fix you a spot on the couch and you could spend the night. I've got food. Lots of it. You can eat as much as you like" He suggested, Natsuki shaking her head at that, declining his offer.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I really should be getting back. You don't have to worry about me or anything, either. I can… I can handle my dad" She stated. "I'm… I'm a big girl. I can handle it. I'm a big girl" She added quietly, as if saying that to herself rather than Aaron, him sighing as he walked over to Natsuki.

"If you say so. Just…" He paused as he suddenly grabbed her by the hand, clutching it gently, Natsuki initially trying to pull away, muscle memory treating Aaron's action the same way it'd treat her father's, were he to do the same, only to then relax once she saw Aaron would not hurt her, their hands interlocked as he held them up in between their faces. "Remember that we're friends, okay? I'm here for you. Always. If you need anything, anything at all, be it food or just someone to talk to, you call me. Got it?" He asked, looking intently into Natsuki's eyes, her almost paralyzed by them.

"I… I got it" She said, nodding once, Aaron smiling as he let go of her hand, waving goodbye before turning around and walking back home, Natsuki standing still for a second as she watched him walk away, soon disappearing from her field of view, her now looking down at the hand Aaron clutched, only to see it holding a small piece of paper within her palm. No, a napkin. A napkin from the restaurant, Aaron's phone number quickly scrawled on it.

* * *

"He should have been back by now" Sayori stated anxiously as she paced around Aaron's living room, circling the coffee table over and over in worry as she awaited his return, the television already playing the long anime marathon the two had planned on watching, Aaron having missed most of it already, a majority of which were from many different series' he'd never seen before yet showed interest in, Sayori still pacing and circling the room, wondering what took him so long.

Being left to herself for such a long time, her mind naturally began to wander. Began idly thinking before speculating what was happening.

At first, she simply assumed he was waiting in line to retrieve the food he'd called ahead for. The small soup place he ordered from, though often seen as cheap, was still a rather popular stop for most of the neighborhood, it being very unlikely that Aaron would be the only customer ordering tonight, regardless of how late it was.

As the night grew longer and Sayori remained by herself, her mind started speculating about… other things. Wondering if Aaron got attacked or robbed on his way home. Was he kidnapped? Held for ransom? Killed?! Did he become the victim of some random criminal stalking the dark suburban streets?

No… obviously, Sayori shaking her head as she forced such irrational, worrying thoughts out of her mind, immediately rebuking such idiotic thoughts. Nothing more than an unexpected moment of fear and worry. Then her mind started wandering to… other things Aaron could have been doing. Had he… Had he ditched her? Left her to sit alone in his house while he went off and did something else? Stood with someone else? Spent the rest of his night with…

"I'm back!" She jumped slightly as she heard a voice, turning around to see Aaron coming in through the front door, returning home with a small to-go bag clutched tightly in hand, Sayori breathing a sigh of relief at his return, happy to know he was safe at least.

"About time. I was getting worried" She stated, her pacing finally ceasing as Aaron walked into the living room, taking a seat on the couch, relaxing and sinking into it as he looked at Sayori oddly, noticing that she hadn't moved to sit down with him, still stood up straight, her eyes looking down at the couch oddly, as if disgusted by it.

"You gonna sit down?" Aaron asked as he motioned for Sayori to join him, his hand patting the cushion by his side.

"H-Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry. I, um… I thought I saw something" Sayori said with a sigh as she moved to sit on the couch, at Aaron's side as he pulled their food out of the small to-go bag, handing Sayori hers before retrieving his own, Sayori slowly pulling back the plastic top that was placed over the soup, the steam of the hot broth rising up from the bowl, carrying with it a heavenly smell, Sayori's mouth watering slightly as she prepared to eat, taking a whole spoonful of the soup into her mouth before swallowing, feeling the hot liquid run down her throat.

She sighed in contentment, enjoying the soup greatly, it helping her relax and unwind as she sank into the couch, her mind distracted from her worries as she and Aaron watched the marathon together while eating their food.

She had been… reluctant to sit in the couch, as was no doubt seen. It wasn't that it was dirty or filthy in any sense. Well… it was, but not in the way you'd think so. It was… stained. Soiled. Tainted. Or at least she thought it was.

She… She had an awful dream a few days ago. More like a nightmare, honestly. An awful nightmare that haunted her long after it had passed, Sayori becoming unnerved by even the mention of it, her body beginning to quiver a little bit as she recalled the horrible night terror, it playing back in her mind so vividly, feeling almost as if it were real. And this couch that she sat in now, it was a crucial part of that nightmare, the scenes within that awful product of her mind taking place on this simple piece of furniture, hence why Sayori was rather unwilling to sit in it.

The nightmare was of Aaron… and Yuri… having sex… right on the couch Sayori was sitting on now, her shivering a little in disgust at just stating that, placing her food down on the coffee table, having now lost her appetite.

It… It was disgusting. So utterly revolting to Sayori's eyes, her forced to watch her two friends join together so… shamefully within her own mind! Them both naked before her! Stark nude! And so open and shameless about it, like it was every other night for them, the two outright going at each other like animals in heat! Sayori unable to do anything to prevent what she saw. Unable to do anything to stop them. Forced to watch silently and helplessly as they… pounded into each other so eagerly, making her retch as she recalled the loud scream Yuri made in that… horrible nightmare, her fluids or juices, whatever you wanted to call it, leaking all over the very same couch Sayori sat in now, the thought of it alone causing bile to rise within her throat, her hand expectantly covering her mouth.

"You alright?" Aaron asked in concern, his attention turning away from the television and onto Sayori, seeing the disgusted look on her face. "Look, I know it's not exactly a five star dinner, but the food's not that bad, is it? Besides, this is your favorite. Did I get the wrong kind?"

"N-No! It's fine! Great, actually! I'm just not feeling too well. That's all" Sayori stated, Aaron looking at her oddly again, knowing for a fact that she would never turn down a bowl of soup from one of her favorite places to eat, her practically stopping there all the time after school.

"You feeling sick?" He asked in concern.

"Y-Yeah. A little. Just a stomach ache or something like that. Something stupid, probably. I'll be okay" She claimed, an obvious lie that Aaron saw through, him sighing as he returned his attention to the television, not wishing to press Sayori on it. If she said she wasn't feeling well, Aaron would believe her, even though it was obvious that wasn't what was bothering her. "S-So, before I came here, you said you wanted to talk about something? What's up?" She asked.

"Yeah, um… What happened back there at the festival. I saw that it bothered you a little bit. Well actually, it bothered you a lot. You practically turned into a different person back there" Aaron stated, Sayori sighing as she heard that, being reminded of that time. "I don't know what it was about and if you don't wanna tell me, that's fine. But… Yuri. You're not mad at her, are you?" Aaron asked, looking at Sayori with concern, her sighing again as she turned her head away, looking off into the other side of the room, her hand held in the space between Aaron and her, as if telling him to stop.

"Are you only talking about this because she wants you to?" Sayori asked, a bitter tone in her voice as she glared slightly. "I-I know she was here, by the way. I can… I can smell her" She stated, Aaron taken aback slightly, honestly not expecting such an… odd statement.

"Smell her? The hell are you talking about?" He asked, his head swiveling and turning as he sniffed and smelled around the room, not picking up any distinct scents or fragrances, especially not anything related to Yuri. Was Sayori talking about the perfume she wore on the night of the festival? But that was long gone by now. Or was she talking about… something else? Aaron looking down at the couch he sat on, a worried look coming to his face. Had he… not washed the covers hard enough?

"Just… Answer the question!" Sayori requested, somewhat demanding and aggressively at that, her brief outburst of irritation causing Aaron to glare at her just as she glared at him, not liking her tone one bit.

"Yeah. She came over a few nights ago. Something wrong with that?" He asked, his tone mimicking the aggression Sayori threw at him, her expression softening a little once she saw that, her glare fading, replaced by a saddened frown, either because of being intimidated by Aaron or by realizing that she had allowed her temper to flair up.

"I… I'm sorry. No, there's nothing wrong with that. I just… I wanna know" She said with a sigh as she looked down at the floor, refusing to meet Aaron's eyes, him sighing as he did the same, now feeling a little guilty for his treatment of Sayori, thinking that he might have came off too strong in his response, most likely scaring her a little bit.

"Yeah. She came by a few nights ago" he repeated, his tone much softer. A little calmer. More collected… and a tad guilty. "She umm… wasn't feeling right. Wasn't feeling right at all. She came here for help, so I… helped her" he stated, vaguely branding his actions as 'help.' Not specifically stating how he helped her, thinking that Sayori didn't need to know. "After I… helped her-"

"Yeah. Helped…" Sayori interrupted, scoffing audibly.

"I'm sorry?"

"No. No, don't be. You want to call that 'helping?' Go ahead" Sayori said dismissively, somewhat passive-aggressively too.

"Right… Well, after I helped her, we talked for a little while about… stuff. And… I think we're in a relationship now. Like, proper boyfriend and girlfriend stuff" Aaron stated, a small smile coming to his face, only for it to then disappear once he saw the glare on Sayori's, her fists clenching tightly in anger, her trying to hide this by crossing her arms. "Does that… bother you?" Aaron asked, being sure to keep his tone calm, collected and quiet so as not to scare Sayori again.

"Should it?" She asked, refusing to look at him.

"I don't see why" Aaron responded. "You always used to tease me about not being able to talk to girls or having relationships. Even before we left for the festival, you teased me about getting girls to notice me. Well, one noticed. So, what's the problem here?" He asked.

"N-Nothing! Nothing's the problem whatsoever! It's just… something I never expected. I'll… I'll get used to it. If you're really sure this is serious, I'll get used to it and learn how to deal with it" Sayori stated, only for Aaron to sigh.

"Look, if it makes you uncomfortable or unhappy in any way, I'll call it off with Yuri right now" He stated, a surprised look coming to Sayori's face as she finally turned to look at him, honestly shocked to know that he'd be willing to destroy a relationship, just because she wasn't happy about it.

"You're serious?" She asked in shock, her jaw slack as he eyes grew wide, unable to actually believe that. "You're gonna break up a perfectly good relationship, just because I'm not used to it yet?"

"Well, you're like a sister to me, Sayori. I care about your comfort more than everyone else's. If it bothers you-"

"It doesn't" Sayori interrupted, turning her head away again, as if she couldn't bring herself to look at Aaron. "I'm… I'm not mad at you and I'm not mad at her. I'm just not feeling very good and it's messing with my head a little. Messing with the way I'm thinking and acting. I'm just in a bad mood. Look, if you two are in a relationship and you're happy with it, good for you. I'm really happy for you. It… It doesn't bother me. I'll just need a little while to get… used to it" She stated, sighing slightly as she turned her head around again, looking Aaron in the eyes. Dead serious.

"Sayori…"

"Besides, It'd be awful if you called it off with her. She'd be heartbroken, Aaron" Sayori continued. "I know she's… sensitive. If you break this up, you're gonna hurt her. You're gonna hurt her really badly. Don't do that because of me. Don't break her heart just because I'm a little shocked. Okay?"

"Alright" Aaron said, nodding once in determination. "I just want to make sure you both get along" He added, Sayori chucking lowly at that.

"Why wouldn't we? We're like sisters… It's just that, it'll be a pretty big change, you having a girlfriend. It's kinda hard to accept the fact that it's not going to be just you and me anymore. You've got someone else in your life now. I'll… I'll have to share you"

"H-Hey, it won't be like that!" Aaron stated, a small smile coming to his face as he put his arm around Sayori, pulling her closer to him in the same way an older brother would do to a younger sibling. "I'll still make time for you. We're best friends, Sayori. Yuri's not going to get between us. I won't let her" He said firmly, Sayori smiling a little at that, the words comforting her somewhat. She was doubtful of them, of course. But they brought her comfort nonetheless.

"Okay…" She said as she smiled at Aaron. "Now… let's forget about all this and just get back to watching TV" She said as the two looked towards the television, Sayori retrieving her food, it now slightly cooled as the two continued watching television, their eyes glued to the screen for what felt like hours, the both of them eventually falling asleep on the couch, Sayori laying on top of Aaron, her head resting on his shoulder as they slept through the rest of the marathon, Sayori waking up only a few hours later, realizing that they had both fallen asleep.

She yawned tiredly as she stood up from the couch, looking at the time on her phone, only to find out it was nearly four in the morning! Her feeling as if she should leave, having to get ready for school once the sun rose, and of course, thinking that parents must be worried about her.

Before she left the house though, she turned around to look at Aaron, seeing him sleeping soundly on the couch, his mouth hanging open as he laid on the couch, his head on the armrest, Sayori going upstairs, into his room to take a pillow and his blanket from his bed, bringing them down to Aaron so that he may sleep more comfortably, Sayori softly lifting up his head, placing the pillow below it before bringing it back down, careful not to wake Aaron. She then covered him in the blanket, even going the extra mile and tucking it into the couch, making sure Aaron was comfortable before she left.

"Good night…" She said to him, watching the way he slept, her face compelled to move closer to him, only to then place a small kiss on his cheek, her pulling back after that, her hand covering her lips, as if she were in shock, unable to believe she just kissed him! Pecked him softly on the cheek. "S-Sleep well…" She said before leaving, walking towards the front door on the tips of her toes, silently exiting his house.

She sighed in irritation as soon as she shut the door, standing on Aaron's front porch, her eyes shut tight as her brow furrowed, her teeth gritting in anger as she clenched her fists.

"Bitch!" She shouted into the air, spouting off an insult at the night sky above her, Yuri's face pictured in her mind as she cursed angrily. "It's…" She paused as she breathed in and out, her breath shaky, uneven. "It's not fair…" She said sadly as she hung her head low, her eyes looking down at her shoes as she walked back home, her hands hiding in her pockets. "It's just… it's not fair"


	9. Torn Pages

"Would you please stop? I'm trying to read!" Yuri shouted in annoyance as she swatted the hand away, only to then giggle as she felt it crawl its way back, its fingers gently tickling her as it slid slowly, smoothly down her leg. "Aaron, enough!" She shouted again, her palm colliding with the top of Aaron's hand, slapping it lightly, him chuckling a little as he finally pulled it away. "There's a time and place for that, Love. Sadly, this is neither of those" Yuri added as she looked at him, a small smile on her face, her simply rolling her eyes at her love's playfulness. "Now, can we please focus on our reading?"

"You're no fun sometimes, you know that?" Aaron asked, chuckling lightly as he and Yuri sat together in the club room, their desks pushed together as the opened book laid in the center, the two continuing their reading from where they last left off.

Well, they were supposed to be continuing… Yuri sighing in slight irritation, due to only getting through two pages of the book this session, Aaron's wandering hands distracting her, causing her to lose her concentration. While yes, she had already read the book cover to cover multiple times, now able to recite most of the key events off the top of her head, she was still being disturbed, something that would annoy anyone, regardless of what they were doing.

Though… She thought it was rather cute, the way Aaron's hand seemed to naturally wander over to her, resting itself on her thigh, gently massaging back and forth. Up and down, the occasional giggle escaping her.

"I said enough!" Yuri shouted again, a small laugh escaping her as she shooed Aaron's hand away for a third time. "You do that again, and you can kiss our reading time goodbye, mister!" She threatened playfully, Aaron's brows jumping up at that.

"You wouldn't dare" He grinned as he leaned closer to her.

"Try me" She said, matching his grin with one of her own as she leaned closer to him.

"Okay, okay. So, you don't like it when I touch you. But… do you like it when I do this?" He asked as he brought his hand to her chin, gently holding her head in place as he brought his lips to hers, the two sharing a small kiss in the middle of the club room, Yuri blushing faintly as she pulled away.

"You little sneak! You set me up for that!" She said, smiling lightly as she pointed her finger at him. "I shouldn't have done that. It's not good of me to reward such… bad behavior" She stated, the tone of her voice turning quiet yet deep, sensuous, seductive as her small smile turned back into a playful grin. "And in the middle of the club room too! Why, imagine what would happen if someone were to waltz in on us. This is supposed to be our little secret, remember? A secret you're not doing a very good job of keeping"

"Well, it's not like anybody actually saw us. The club room is empty. Just you and me" Aaron stated, looking around to confirm that the club room was indeed empty, him and Yuri being the only two people inside, arriving much earlier than everyone else, Yuri simply rolling her eyes as she stood up from her desk, moving over to the window. "But hey, if you wanna go somewhere more private, I know a few places that are close by. Out of sight. And… We've got time before the others get here. We could be there and back before they even come in" Aaron stated as he approached Yuri from behind, his hands on her waist, holding her as he felt her relax and fall back into his chest, leaning against him as she gazed out the window.

"Oh really?" She expressed intrigue. "Tell me of your secret little places"

"Well… we could go under the seats by the track field. Most of the sports clubs just hang out in the gym, so nobody would bother us. There's also the auditorium, nobody ever goes there. And of course, if you wanna be cliché, we could just hide in the janitor's closet" Aaron stated, Yuri giggling lightly at that.

"Hmm… That last one doesn't sound too appealing. I hate clichés. But those other two… Keep talking. What would we do in these little havens of yours?"

"Oh… nothing big. Maybe some kisses? A little bit of snuggling? Cuddling? An 'I love you' or two in between? Then, after we have our fun, we come back, wait out the rest of the day and… meet up somewhere?"

"Aaron!" Yuri gasped. "When did you become such a naughty boy?" She asked as a teasing look came onto on her face.

"H-Hey! Not that kinda meet up!" Aaron stated with a nervous smile. "I was thinking more along the lines of just spending the rest of the day together. Like, I dunno, walking in a park or around town? Something like that. Maybe I could take you out somewhere? A movie? A bookstore maybe? You know, just the two of us on a regular date" He explained, Yuri smiling softly as she turned to face him, placing a soft kiss on his lips, feeling him grab and grip her gently before returning her kiss with one of his own, Yuri smiling through the kiss as she felt Aaron pull her closer.

"That sounds delightful, Love. Utterly delightful" She said after pulling away, still smiling.

"Great" Aaron said, relief in his voice. "So um… do you wanna step away for a little while? You know, take a break from our reading? I think the book can wait for a few minutes" He stated, a sly grin coming to his face.

"Oh Love, the book can wait for more than just a few minutes…"

"More than a few minutes for what?" A voice asked from behind, Aaron and Yuri jumping in shock as they heard it, immediately pushing each other away before turning their heads towards the door, Natsuki standing in the middle of it with her hands on her hips, a small pout on her face, per the norm.

"N-Natsuki!" Yuri said in surprise, a bead of nervous sweat on her brow as she announced the girl's arrival.

"Hi to you too" She said, her tone slightly irritated. Again, per the norm. "You guys are here early. Class literally just got out. It's like you two dashed in here the moment the bell rang" She added after shutting the classroom door, now moving deeper into the club. "I mean, Yuri's usually the first one in here, no surprise there. But you, Aaron? The only one later than you is Sayori"

"Well, yeah… I just… I felt like coming in early today. No real reason" Aaron stated, Natsuki glancing his way, a questioning look on her face before dismissing him, her hand waving in the air as she did so before making her way to the storage closet, pulling out one of her manga. Parfait Girls, issue number eight.

"So, what were you two doing?" Natsuki asked.

"T-Talking!"

"Reading books!"

Yuri and Aaron said simultaneously, looking at each other nervously when they realized they said two completely different things, Natsuki looking at them oddly, finding their behavior to be very different from how they normally acted. Too different.

"Well… We st-stared reading books…" Yuri stated, stammering slightly. "Well, I tried to anyway" She added, a small glare flashing Aaron's way, him responding with a guilty, nervous smile. "B-But it soon changed from reading books to… um… talking about them! Yes, that's it!" She claimed, making up a story on the spot. "Yes! We were talking about books and writing in general. Discussing our favorite authors, written works, tropes, clichés and everything. Aaron even stated that he wants to write a book himself!" She went on, taking it a step to far when she lied about Aaron wanting to write a book, her hands covering her mouth after actually hearing what she said, Aaron glaring at her.

"A book? Seriously?" He whispered quietly, knowing that to be a horrible lie to tell in a club focused on literature, especially with a president that expressed a desire for her members to share their written works.

"I'm sorry. That… That just came out" Yuri whispered back.

"Oh… Cool! What's your book about?" Natsuki asked, an uncharacteristically positive response to hearing such a thing.

"It's a…" Aaron dragged on, trying to think of a genre he could see himself wanting to write a book about. "…A fantasy book! Yeah! A fantasy story about… a hero! And stuff…" Aaron made up, Yuri rolling her eyes at that, expressing distaste in that particular genre, despite knowing that Aaron had no intention of writing such a book.

"Oh, leave him alone!" Natsuki shouted as she saw Yuri's look. "If he wants to write some dumb fantasy epic, then fine. I mean, yeah, It'll probably be a steaming pile of crap, but still! Let him write his own stuff the way he wants. God, you really need to be more accepting of other peoples tastes" She scolded, Yuri taken aback by that, slightly offended.

"I need to be more accepting of other peoples tastes? This coming from the girl who chastises me for reading books that have too many big words. Hypocrite" Yuri scoffed under her breath, glaring slightly as she watched Natsuki sit at one of the desks, opening up her manga and beginning to read it, as if it were actual literature, which to Yuri, it was not.

"Bad day?" Aaron asked as he walked up to Natsuki, her looking up from her manga to see him in front of her desk, concern on his face.

"Not as bad the other days but… not good either. I'll be okay" Natsuki dismissed.

"It didn't… It didn't happen again, did it?"

"I don't wanna talk about it…" She stated as she pulled her manga up, hiding her face behind it.

"That's okay. You don't have to if you don't want to. If you need anything, you let me know though" Aaron stated, Natsuki looking up at him for a minute, seeing the small, soft yet friendly smile on his face.

"Yeah. Whatever" She dismissed as she waved her hand again, Aaron rolling his eyes as he turned around, only for Natsuki to suddenly grip his hand by the wrist, Aaron looking back down at her, finding a small glare on her face "You tell either of them about it and I'll kick your ass! Got it?" She whispered, her voice in a low hiss as she threatened Aaron.

"Alright! Alright! Jeez…" He said with a sigh as Natsuki released her grip, him huffing slightly as he held his wrist, Natsuki's grip being rather strong. Stronger than Aaron initially expected from someone so… small.

He didn't really hold her threat of violence against her. In fact, he actually thought it was an idle one, thinking she only did it as a way to show her teeth. There was no way she'd actually try to beat up Aaron. She may be easily angered and irritated, but she's far from violent. It was an idle threat. Nothing more.

He could actually understand why Natsuki did it. She's… well, she's scared. Scared of how Sayori and Yuri would react were they to hear about her… problems at home. Scared of how they'd treat her. Scared of whether they'd look down on her for allowing herself to become a victim… or pity her because she was one.

Though irrational, Aaron could understand that fear. Empathize with it. Even if he didn't, he still wouldn't tell the others out of respect for his fellow member. It was her problem. Her business. And if anyone was going to tell anybody about it, it would be her and only her. Aaron had no business gossiping about another person's problems and hardships like a common schoolgirl.

"Is something wrong?" Yuri asked as she walked up to Aaron, having seen what Natsuki did.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it" Aaron dismissed. "So, back to reading?" He asked, Yuri sighing quietly as she nodded her head once, slightly disappointed that she and Aaron would no longer be able to sneak away for their little private time.

Were they to even think of trying now, Natsuki would immediately catch them. Maybe she wouldn't make a big deal of it and maybe she wouldn't question it. Maybe she'd just raise her shoulders and tilt her head, brushing it off. But after what happened during the festival… the action alone would say too much. Give Natsuki the confirmation to a question Yuri didn't want answered.

Don't get her wrong, Yuri loves her club and everyone in it and isn't keeping her relationship a secret for malicious reasons. She just… She just doesn't know if they're ready yet. Doesn't know if they'd be able to handle or even tolerate the fact that two of their members were in a relationship. Doesn't know if they'd understand or accept the love in it. Yuri just wasn't comfortable with letting them know about it. Didn't feel safe about Sayori or Natsuki being in the loop yet, more fearful of Sayori knowing rather than Natsuki.

With her, all Yuri would have to face was teasing, sarcasm and the other various acts of immaturity Natsuki often displayed, all of them now being geared towards her relationship. Not so much a problem, rather an annoyance. But Sayori… That was something different. Yuri was… she was scared. Afraid. Afraid of Sayori. Afraid of how she'd react. What she'd say… and what she'd do once she learned about it.

Yuri didn't know why she was so fearful of her president. One of her closest and only real friends. She just… the tension. The anger. she felt it immediately once Sayori walked in on their first kiss. Felt it so strongly that she was literally unable to speak at that moment. Could do nothing but look at the floor and walk away, too fearful of the the idea of confrontation to do anything else.

She didn't know if this fear was genuine. If Sayori really did hold this animosity, or if it was simply Yuri's timidness getting the best of her, misconstruing her thoughts and decisions. Still though, a little caution never hurts. It's always good to be just a little skeptical. Just a little doubtful. It wasn't as if Yuri was going to keep this secret forever. She just wanted to scope out the situation first.

Just wanted to make sure Sayori and Natsuki were ready and willing to accept the way things are now, as well as insure that they'd deal with it accordingly, recognizing Yuri and Aaron's bond, respecting it, but also understanding that it doesn't change the way they should be viewed within the club. Doesn't change the fact that they were still fully dedicated to the club and its members.

No, she's not going to use the club as a little romantic get together spot with Aaron. No, she is not going to put her relationship before her duties as Vice President. And no, she is not sectioning out a corner of the room, which would be used solely for her and Aaron to make out!

Though that last one does sound rather nice…. The corner to the rightmost side of the room is rather cozy. Add a little floor mat, some throw pillows and a curtain or two for privacy… N-No! No, that is not happening!

"Um, Yuri? You still there?" Aaron asked, snapping his fingers in front of her, Yuri snapping out of her trance, leaving behind her thoughts and returning to the real world.

"Uh… Yes. Sorry, I was thinking about something" She stated. "What were we talking about? Oh, the reading? Yes, we should get back to that…" She said, Aaron and her returning back to their desks, taking their seats as they picked up where they left off. "And keep your hands to yourself this time, please" Yuri added, Aaron chuckling lightly, a grin on his face as they returned to their desks, the both of them sitting down as they read together silently, their eyes scanning the pages from top to bottom, reading the words in their minds before turning the page.

The entire time they read though, Aaron chanced glances at Yuri, his eyes looking away from the pages for a fraction of a second, only to see Yuri sighing, her head held up by her arms, a bored, uninterested look on her face, as if she had suddenly lost interest in reading, something very uncommon for a bookworm like her. Downright unheard of actually.

Even though she's probably read this book and many others various times, Aaron never knew her to be so… disinterested and disconnected as she was right now, to the point where her eyes stopped following the paragraphs. Just stood idle on this one, single sentence in the book, barely moving. Barely blinking either, like Yuri's mind had just disconnected itself from her body, leaving it dormant.

"Hey! Hey, literature club! Guess who's back!" Sayori exclaimed loudly as she entered the room, practically kicking in the door, a bright, beaming smile on her face. "As if you actually had to guess. It's just little ol' me! Sorry for being the last one in, by the way. Class was… not very fun" She added, her large smile fading for a second as her head sank down, only to pick itself right back up, Sayori's smile instantly reinvigorated. "But hey, classes are over now! So we don't have to worry about that!" She stated, her tone sounding rather joyful.

A small smile came to Aaron's face as he saw that, him always happy to see Sayori in a good mood, especially after the talk the two of them had last night.

Back there, Aaron thought he really hurt her with what he said. It wasn't that he said anything wrong or untrue. It was just… the way Sayori responded to what he said. How she acted. The way her voice sounded and how at some times, she refused to look his way.

It made Aaron feel like he had put Sayori through great pain, especially after he fell asleep during the marathon, only to find Sayori gone without so much as a note, text or call in the morning. And the walk to school… well, she wasn't there for that today. Was nowhere to be found, Aaron having no choice but to walk without her, lest he be late for his own classes.

But seeing Sayori today. Seeing the bundle of sunshine out and about in full force… it brought a smile to Aaron's face. Drove away the worry and set his mind at ease. She's fine. Nothing's wrong. Everything is okay and everyone is okay.

"Nope! No more classes! No more bitter, old teachers. No more mean, hateful classmates. No more annoying papers and pencils. Just us! Us and our club!" Sayori continued, seemingly overjoyed that classes were over, Aaron thinking that she most likely had a rough day. Regardless of what had happened, he was just glad to see Sayori smile. Glad to hear her loud shouting and exclamations of joy. Just… glad she was back to normal.

"And how is my VP doing today?" She asked as she came behind the desks Aaron and Yuri sat at, Sayori's hands gripping Yuri's shoulders, causing the girl to jump slightly in shock, Sayori's touch snapping her out of whatever trance she'd found herself in, a nervous look on Yuri's face as she looked up at Sayori, only to be greeted with a friendly smile. "We doin' okay over here?" Sayori asked as she looked down at Yuri.

"U-Um… I… Y-Yes! Yes, we're fine. Everything… Everything's fine" Yuri stammered nervously, an uncomfortable, almost fearful look on her face as she turned pale, her body nervously shaking and twitching as Sayori stared her down. "We're ju-just reading" Yuri stated, Sayori looking at her oddly for a second, her smile briefly disappearing as her eyes narrowed, forming a piercing glare, only for Sayori's bright smile to immediately come back, returning before it was missed.

"Is that so?" Sayori asked, the corners of her mouth rising incredibly high, causing her smile to grow wider… disturbingly so, Yuri leaning back slightly in fear, as if to distance herself from the girl as she smiled so wide and hard, you could see almost her entire mouth! Almost all of her teeth!

"Y-Yes. Yes, it is so" Yuri stated, feeling a shiver of dread run its way down her spine as her eyes seemed to lock onto Sayori's, unable to look away. Unable to break contact, Yuri seemingly paralyzed with fear, but for whatever reason, she didn't know as to why.

"Great!" Sayori said with a smile, a much more normal one. Less… demented. "I'll leave you two to it then. Have fun!" She added as she left, making her way to the teachers desk to tend to a stack of papers, most likely related to some form of club business. Either that, or it was just the student council sending in the new 'terms,' which in reality, were just a more official way of saying for 'Here are the new reasons why we can't be bothered to help you with whatever problem your club is having.' Jerks.

"So um, back to reading?" Aaron asked, Yuri turning her head to look at him, shaking it slightly in refusal.

"Can we stop, actually? I think I need to… take a break" She stated, Aaron looking at her oddly, noting the way she paused as she spoke, his hand grabbing hers, holding it gently as their fingers interlocked, Yuri looking at him in confusion.

"You're not gonna…" Aaron assumed.

"What? N-No! Of course not! I'm… I'm done with that. I didn't even bring a knife with me to school today. I know I would be hurting you if I went back to… doing that thing" Yuri stated, her face blushing slightly as she looked down at the floor. "I just feel like I need to take a breather and relax for a little while. I don't know why, but I suddenly feel rather… drained. I just need a few minutes to catch my breath. I won't leave the room. I'll be over there, by the window" She stated as she pulled her hand away from Aaron, standing up from her desk and making her way to one of the club room windows, opening it to allow the fresh air in, breathing deeply as she held her hands behind her back, her eyes gazing out the open window, looking down on the school's courtyard outside.

Aaron could only sigh as he watched her from his desk, his hands holding his head as he felt the pangs of guilt attack him, knowing that all this was related to him.

The tension… you could taste it in the air. Feel it in the room, its presence making said room feel downright unbreathable in. Made the room feel so stuffy. Made the air so thick and hard to breathe. A place that once used to be filled with such happiness and joy, now filled with such… anxiety, so much so, that even an untrained eye, a person oblivious to the literature club and its affairs, could see the tension plain as day.

Everyone may have looked fine at first, but the tension and anxiety was quick to reveal itself as time went on, its presence fully announced the moment Sayori entered the room.

"Hey. What happened your reading time? Got bored already, Aaron?" She asked as she returned to the desk, Aaron jumping a little as he felt her hand grip his shoulder from behind, him turning around and looking up at Sayori, greeted by her beaming smile.

"N-No. We're just taking a break. That's all" Aaron stated as he stood up from his seat, doing a few impromptu stretches in an attempt to get the blood circulating through his body again.

"Oh… Well that's good!" Sayori stated. "A lot of people tend to get so invested in their books that they forget they're supposed to take little breaks in between chapters. You know, take a second or two to rest your eyes and wake your body back up. Glad to see you haven't forgotten though!" She added cheerfully.

"Right…" Aaron responded, the conversation seemingly dying then and there, leaving Sayori and Aaron with nothing to do other than stare at each other awkwardly, neither one of them knowing if walking away was the right thing to do in this moment. "Hey, um… are you okay?" Aaron asked, concern in his voice. "I mean, you just seem a little… off today. Everything alright?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I feel fine! Better than ever, actually! Never have or ever will feel better!" She stated proudly, winning smile and all. "Aww, my peppiness too much for ya?" She asked with a grin, Aaron chuckling at that.

"A little, yeah. I get that the whole sunshine and rainbows thing is… well, your thing. But I gotta admit, you're turning it up a little too high today. It's actually making me nervous" Aaron stated, Sayori's smile falling slightly as she heard that. "It just… it makes me think something's wrong. And… after what happened last night… the things we said to each other and-"

"Pfff! You really need to let that stuff go, Aaron!" Sayori beamed again, her finger waggling back and forth, mimicking the actions of a scolding parent, minus the scolding. "I thought we already cleared this up. You said you wouldn't let… You know who…" Aaron noted the sudden change of tone in Sayori's voice at the mention of Yuri, his head looking over his shoulder briefly to check on her, Sayori silently huffing as the attention was diverted away from her, only for her smile to come right back once Aaron turned around again.

"Huh? Sorry. Just checking something" Aaron apologized. "You were saying?"

"I was saying that you made it very clear when you said she wouldn't get in the way of our friendship and I believe you! Not only that, but I'm happy for you! Happy that you and her have something going. Everything is fine, so please stop worrying!" Sayori urged. "It's the past, okay? Just let it go" She said with a soft smile as she gently gripped Aaron by the shoulder, him sighing slightly at that, a similar looking smile coming onto his face.

"You're right. You're right" He said as he gently pushed it away. "I'm worrying too much. I just… I just want you two to get along. I can practically feel the animosity in the room, Sayori. It's not putting my mind at ease" He stated, Sayori crossing her arms, her face going blank. Deadpanned.

"Well, wherever it's coming from, it's not me" She stated. "Maybe you're just imagining things. Hey! I know what'll make you forget about it! How about I show you this new thing for the club I've been wanting to try out?!" She suggested, Aaron looking at her oddly.

"New thing? What new thing?" He asked.

"Okay. Well, you know how most of us want to share our work, but we're too insecure to actually do that?"

"Yeah…" Aaron said as he nodded. "It's just… We're not very confident in our writing yet" He stated.

"Not only that. It's also because we're all technically newbies when it comes to actually writing stuff! We're all novices, so we're kinda hiding our work until it reaches a point we deem presentable. I've come up with a way to speed up that process! A way to improve our skills, learn some new tricks and hone our craft" Sayori stated.

"That so? And what is this amazing new way of honing our skills, exactly?" Aaron asked, intrigued.

"Why tell you, when I can show you? I've been wanting to do this for awhile now. Sit back! Relax and prepare to be enlightened!"

* * *

 _ **Sayori's Writing Tip Of The Day: Seeking Advice.**_

 _Have you ever tried to write a character with a unique quirk, personality, disability, illness or condition, but you don't exactly know how to portray it accurately? Or maybe your story takes place in some exciting, unique location, but you don't really know what that place would look like?_

 _It can be really disheartening for somebody when they try to write about these things, only to end up staring at their blank page, clueless as to how they'd implement them. Some people even get so frustrated by this, that they end up scrapping their ideas before they've even written them down._

 _It can be really irritating, thinking up this new, interesting character or this special location, only to end up with nothing on the page because you're having trouble portraying it._

 _Well, that doesn't have to be the end all be all. Maybe you should try taking a break from writing and do some research instead!_

 _Pick up a book about the subject you want to learn more about or talk to someone who may be experienced in said subject. Is it a place nearby? Well, why not pay it a little visit and scope it out?_

 _Of course, you could always use the internet instead. It is supposed to be a wealth of information at your fingertips, after all… despite what you normally see when you go on. You may find what your looking for on some obscure forum or comment section, or you may run into a few fellow writers looking for information on the same thing. You never know._

 _Point is, learning about certain people, places and conditions is always possible. And the more you learn about them, the more accurately you'll be able to portray them in your stories, making them seem more realistic._

 _And who knows? Maybe in the future, what you've learned could end up being useful to you or others later._

 _That's my advice for today. Thanks for listening!_

* * *

"Wow. That's… actually pretty helpful advice. Thanks, Sayori" Aaron said, grateful for the words of wisdom. "So that's your special trick? Giving advice?" He asked, Sayori smiling as she nodded her head.

"Yup! I know it's not very exciting and all… but you gotta admit, it's pretty helpful!" She stated. "And it doesn't have to be just me doing it. How about you? Can we get one of Aaron's writing tips of the day?" She asked, bumping her shoulder into Aaron gently as a means of encouraging him.

"Yeah… No" He denied, a dead serious look on his face as he shook his head.

"Oh… Okay then!" Sayori said, not really bothered by Aaron's lack of participation. "I guess I can't force you to do it. Still though, if you have some advice to share, don't hold back! This is an open forum and everyone's voice matters. Remember that"

"Right… I'm uh, gonna go somewhere else now" Aaron stated as he walked away, an awkward, uncomfortable look on his face as he sat down in a different desk, one much closer to the windows, and by that extension, Yuri, Aaron looking over his shoulder, only to see Sayori remaining in the same spot she was in initially, having not left yet, a small, friendly smile on her face as she waved at him, Aaron awkwardly waving back.

He sighed as he sat down, his arms leaning on the desk as his head drooped slightly, a tired yawn leaving him, no doubt brought on from the fatigue of dealing with school and the club, the latter probably draining much more energy from him than it should have.

Shame Aaron and Yuri were unable to retreat to that little getaway like he wanted, else he might have been able to regain a little bit of his spent energy. Yeah, a nice little nap with his new girlfriend in some secluded area of the school. Sounded much nicer than you thought. He guessed the only thing he could do now was just lay his head on the desk and wait for the bell to ring, giving the signal for all club activities to cease.

He yawned again as he did just that, his head laying down on its side as it rested on the desk, his eyes half open, blinking rapidly in fatigue as he looked towards the windows, seeing Yuri in the middle of them as the rays from the outside sun crept into the room, Yuri's figure casting a shadow on the ground.

He could hear her sighing. Could see her playing with her hair, a telltale sign of nervousness, Aaron picking his head up at that, trying to conjure up the energy to move from his desk and tend to his girlfriend's worries.

"Hey, can we talk?" Yuri jumped back in surprise as she felt a hand grip her shoulder, turning around only to see Natsuki at her back, an alerted and surprised expression on her face, not expecting Yuri's whole body to jerk like that, due to a simple touch. "You okay?" Natsuki asked in concern.

"Wh-What? Y-yes, I'm fine. Don't sneak up on me like that, please" Yuri said as she looked down at Natsuki, breathing deeply in an attempt to recompose herself, her hands going behind her back again, her chest popping out, her back straightening as she regained her posture. "Can I help you with something, Natsuki? Is something wrong?" She asked, Natsuki picking up a small hint of apprehension in her voice, almost as if she was slightly afraid of speaking to the girl.

"No. Nothing's wrong. I just…" Natsuki sighed, gulping audibly before continuing to speak, swallowing her pride, no doubt. "I just wanted to apologize for what I said during the performance a few days ago. I'm… I'm sorry" She apologized, Yuri genuinely taken aback by this, never knowing Natsuki to be apologetic. "You don't hate me. I know that. Yeah, I am a little immature sometimes. And sometimes, I do deserve to get yelled at, especially when I get… moody. And yeah, I can understand why it's hard to take me seriously. I'm sorry for shouting at you like that. I was just… It was a bad day" She stated, her head hanging low as Yuri looked down at her, a small frown on her face as she bent down slightly, reaching Natsuki's level, making eye to eye contact.

"I don't hate you. You're not immature. You are taken seriously and you don't get yelled at. But if you think you do, then I should be the one saying I'm sorry" Yuri stated, a light smile on her face as she looked Natsuki in the eyes, her not exactly believing Yuri's words, figuring that she only said it to make Natsuki feel better. Still though… it felt nice.

"So… friends again?"

"Friends again" Yuri stated as she stood up, turning her attention back to the window, Natsuki smiling as she stood beside Yuri, joining in on her window observations, the two looking out onto the courtyard outside.

"So, since we're friends again…" Natsuki trailed off, Yuri looking at her oddly as she heard her speak. "You gonna give me the details?" Natsuki asked, a wicked grin coming onto her face.

"Excuse me? Details? What details?" Yuri asked, clueless to what Natsuki could possibly mean.

"You know! About you and Lover boy over there! I heard you two talking! Getting all close and intimate!" She giggled, A nervous look coming onto Yuri's face, realizing she'd been caught. "So when you said you would have more than a few minutes to do stuff… you were talking about hooking up, weren't you!?"

"Is this why you apologized to me? So you can get me to gossip about something that isn't even true?" Yuri asked as she turned to face Natsuki, glaring at her, Natsuki backing away slowly at that, realizing her mistake.

"What? N-No! That's not it!" Natsuki said worriedly, showing a behavior Yuri had never seen from her before. A more timid Natsuki. More fearful. Scared, Yuri shocked to see her displaying such emotions. "I-I was just starting a conversation, that's all! You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, you know! It's not like you're obligated to!" She stated, pouting angrily as she turned her back to Yuri, this behavior being more in line with what she was used too, Aaron and Sayori taking notice of their little scene. "You should be though! You can't just keep me and Sayori out of the loop like that! If we were really your friends, you'd let us know right away!"

"Hmph! Fitting that you'd try nosing into my personal life. Something that doesn't affect you, by the way!" Yuri huffed, her arms crossed as she glared at Natsuki. "What's the matter? Your own life isn't exciting enough to keep your attention? Not enough interesting things going on at home to keep you entertained?" She asked in an irritated tone, Natsuki gasping in shock before glaring daggers at Yuri, Aaron seeing this as his time to intervene as he stood up from his desk, not content to sit and watch this all play out.

"Okay, that's enough from both of you! Stop fighting right now!" He began raising his voice.

"Stay out of this, Aaron!" "This doesn't involve you!" They both shouted at the same time, twice as loud as Aaron, him defeated before he could even do anything.

"How dare you!" Natsuki shouted, anger practically coursing through her veins at Yuri's ignorance. "You have no idea what my life is like outside this place! You have no idea what kind of hell I deal with every day!"

"Hey, Aaron… Maybe we should just leave them be. C'mon, let's get out of here" Sayori suggested as she gently tapped Aaron on the shoulder.

"Oh really? Do enlighten me! Come, tell me all about the struggles you face in your cushy, private bedroom! Watching television while you 'read' that harem trash you call literature!"

"Whoa! That's a low blow, Yuri! Stop!" Aaron chimed back in, Yuri glaring at him coldly.

"Really, can't we all just get along?" Sayori asked. "Why does this place have to be so toxic sometimes?"

"I said stay out of it! Both of you!" Yuri shouted again.

"It's called manga and you leave the Parfait girls out of this!" Natsuki shouted, enraged, Aaron able to see what looked to be tears forming under her eyes, no doubt due to Yuri's words bringing back… bad memories. He'd outright tell her why she was wrong if it wasn't for Natsuki commanding him to stay silent about her life at home.

"Parfait girls? Ugh! Tasteless!" Yuri spat.

"Oh, is that so?! The girl who just had a make out session in our club room before planning to sneak away for a steamy school grounds love affair is gonna call my manga tasteless?! You better look in the mirror first, hon!" Natsuki huffed angrily. "I don't even understand why you want to keep it a secret anyway! It's not like you bothered to hide it when you were sucking his face off on the rooftop!"

" _ **FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! CAN WE PLEASE STOP TALKING ABOUT THE GOD DAMNED ROOFTOP!?"**_ Yuri screamed at the top of her lungs, Everyone taking a step back in shock, due to the sheer volume of her voice, screeching at near ear shattering levels, Yuri looking around, only to see everyone else looking right at her, utterly shocked by the way she shouted at them, Natsuki herself taking a step back, the club room now deathly silent. "I… I'm s-sorry. I-I lost my composure. I… I need to be excused!" She said as she rushed out of the club room, moving past Aaron and Sayori on her way out, exiting the room and heading into the restroom down the hall, Aaron watching her leave, only to glare hard at Natsuki once the door shut.

"Really, Natsuki? Really?!" He asked in anger.

"What?! Don't look at me like that! So this is my fault all of a sudden?!" Natsuki asked, her hands on her hips as she pouted. "It's not even my fault! I was just trying to talk to her, but then she started bringing up my life at home! She even called my manga trash! Like, what the fuck?!"

"She only brought it up because you pried into her life. You can't do that stuff, Natsuki. It gets people angry! You have to learn respect other people's privacy!" Sayori stated, a scolding glare on her face, lighter than Aaron's, but still a glare. "She had no business bringing it up, but you had no business instigating it!"

"So either way, it's still my fault! Gee, thanks for being such supportive and loving friends, guys! I knew I could always count on you!" Natsuki said sarcastically. "You always take her side over mine…" She sighed as she turned her back.

"It's not that we're taking her side, which we aren't" Aaron sated firmly as he walked over to Natsuki, turning her around to face him, his hands on her shoulders as he looked into her eyes. "Look, I know what you go through. Yuri doesn't. But if she did know, she wouldn't have brought it up and… her life isn't really any better, you know. She's got her own problems too" He stated, Natsuki huffing at that as she turned her back to Aaron again.

"Oh yeah? What's her big problem, huh? What's her woe is me story?" She asked in a bitter tone, Aaron sighing at that.

"I can't tell you. She'd… she'd be furious if I did, just like you'd be furious with me if I told her your woe is me story" He stated, Natsuki turning her head to look at Aaron as she heard that. "She doesn't like being pitied any more than you do" He added.

"Is it… that bad?" Natsuki asked in concern.

"I can't really say. Is there some kind of rating system for this stuff? Like, a scale of one to ten?" Aaron asked. "She thinks you'd both see her as a freak if you found out. She literally compared herself to people in mental hospitals. It might not be as bad as what you've got, Natsuki, but it's still pretty bad. The only reason I'm spending so much time around her is because I'm helping her get better. Happy?" He asked, Sayori and Natsuki looking at Aaron with pure shock on their faces.

"I-I never knew she was dealing with something like that" Sayori said as she hung her head low. "I'm… I'm sorry, Aaron. I didn't know" She added, Aaron able to hear Natsuki huffing angrily, grumbling to herself.

"Fine!" She said loudly. "I'll… I'll apologize" She said through gritted teeth. "But only when she comes back!"

"Fair enough" Aaron said with a sigh.

"I didn't want to start a fight with her, you know. I was just… I just wanted to make conversation" Natsuki added.

* * *

"Insolent child! Egotistical narcissist! Who is she to pry into my private life?!" Yuri asked to herself as she leaned over the sink, washing her face in an attempt to calm herself down.

Her breathing was frantic. Shallow and near uncontrollable, the adrenaline and anxiety from such an argument making her heart flair and pound wildly, so much so that Yuri could feel it. Could also feel her hands twitch and shake in nervousness, them instinctively making their way to her sleeve, pulling it down… only to reveal the bandages from before, still wrapped tightly around Yuri's arms.

She sighed as she pulled her sleeve back up, turning attention away from her arms as she went back to washing her face.

She thought about doing it again… Thought about going back to cutting herself, which she often did after her and Natsuki got into their… heated debates. It was just… she got Yuri so worked up. So angry and irritated… she needed some way to let go of that anxiety. Some way of releasing her stress. Her anger. But this… this wasn't the way. She knew that now, deciding to continue pushing herself away from her habit of self harm, rather than fall back into it like she used too, constantly screaming 'It's wrong' over and over inside her head, turning it into a mantra.

Who did Natsuki think she was anyway? To pry into Yuri's life like that… did she have no right to keep her affairs to herself? Did she have no right to keep personal secrets that she wasn't ready to share with everyone else? Should she just be an open book and let everything out? Make her pages clear and visible for Natsuki to read at her leisure?

No! Obviously.

Imagine the scorn Yuri would face. All the insults, teasing and belittling Natsuki would throw at her, making fun of Yuri twenty-four-seven!

 _'Wow! You cut yourself for pleasure?! What a little freak you are! Go back to your mental hospital and leave us normal people alone, Freak!'_ She heard Natsuki's voice in her mind, Yuri imagining how the scene would play out, were she to actually reveal her secret.

Just the thought of it. The thought of being made fun of for her… condition, it infuriated her, Yuri gritting her teeth in anger as she clenched her fists, growling lowly, similar to that of a provoked animal. The anger passed eventually, Yuri sighing as she dried her face with a paper towel, throwing it into the trash before making her way out of the restroom.

"Hiya, pal!" Sayori greeted cheerfully as she leaned against the door frame, standing in the way, a smile on her face. "Going somewhere?" She asked.

"I-I was just leaving" Yuri stated awkwardly as she tried to exit, only for Sayori to stop her, bringing her hand onto Yuri's chest, gently pushing her back into the restroom, Sayori then standing up from her leaning position, walking right up to Yuri, her cheerful smile still on her face.

"Now hold up there, little missy! We need to have a very important chat first!" She stated, her tone sounding patronizingly happy and peppy, like an overenthusiastic cheerleader.

"Look, I'm sorry that I caused a scene. I didn't mean to. It just… it just happened. I learned my lesson and it won't happen again. If you really want me to, I'll go apologize to Natsuki and Aaron right now" Yuri stated as she tried to walk past Sayori, only for her to move in front, blocking the way.

"Not about that. I couldn't care less!" Sayori stated, her smile unwavering. In fact, looking closer, Yuri could see that it was getting bigger, the corners of Sayori's mouth rising extremely high, almost to a painfully fake degree, as if the smile was a forced expression. "C'mon, you know what Natsuki's like! She just gets excited easily. It's not your fault the little brat decided to throw a temper tantrum like an immature child!" She said dismissively as she walked deeper into the restroom, Yuri looking at her in shock, unable to believe Sayori would ever call Natsuki a brat. "Well… come to think of it, you did start the fight. She was just trying to talk to you, but you overreacted. So I guess it's actually you who threw a temper tantrum like an immature child!"

"Did you…? Did you just insult me?!" Yuri asked, greatly offended by being branded as immature. "How dare you!"

"Quiet!" Sayori shouted loudly, Yuri gasping in shock, her lips unconsciously sealing themselves shut, her so easily bending to Sayori's authority as soon as she raised her voice. "It's not nice to interrupt people when they're speaking, especially when they're your club president! Your superior!" She stated as she looked at Yuri from over her shoulder, her mouth wide open as she smiled, speaking through gritted teeth. "Now, getting back on topic… We need to talk about Aaron" She said, Yuri's eyes widening slightly in nervousness, her breath slightly off pace.

"A-Aaron? What about him?" She asked coyly, as if she didn't already know what this was about.

"Nothing really. It's just that… Well, I noticed you were very apprehensive when Natsuki asked about him. As soon as you realized what was happening, you went completely pale! It was actually kinda funny!" Sayori giggled. "I noticed that she said something about… you and Aaron hooking up or something? That's not true, is it?" She asked, a fearful look immediately coming onto Yuri, fearing that her cover was blown.

"Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less when it comes to the idea of you having sex! It's just… not with Aaron" Sayori stated, her happy, cheerful smile replaced with a sharp, menacing glare, staring Yuri down intensely, causing a small sliver of fear to run down her spine. "You have to understand… We grew up together. Lived in the same house. Even shared the same bedroom for a little while. We're family. That's my brother. I'm his sister. And it's a sisters job to protect her brother. Protect him from people like you" She hissed, her glare narrowing, her eyes piercing right through Yuri.

"People like me?" She asked meekly, her tone quiet. Hushed. Scared. Cowardly.

"You know. Manipulators. Users. Abusers. Whores…" Sayori said venomously, Yuri backing away fearfully, only to end up against the wall, Sayori towering over her, her vicious, hateful glare being the only thing Yuri could see. "I know what you did, you little slut!" Sayori shouted as she tapped Yuri on the chest aggressively. "I saw you. I saw you force yourself on him! Saw you do horrible, awful, disgusting things to my childhood friend! My brother! I saw you come into his house in the middle of the night and ravage him! Rape him! Have you no shame?! No dignity?! No self respect?!"

"Wha… How? How do you know about that?!"

"Weren't you paying attention, dumb whore? I saw you. Ȉ̷͎ ̷̮̔̐s̷̾͋ͅé̸͔͋e̷͈̋͝ ̶̙̓ě̴̬v̴͚̔̈́e̵̱͓͗͛r̴̻͕͘y̵̰͊̚ṱ̴̲̆̇h̸̳̒͆i̶͓̇͊ͅṅ̷̹͎ĝ̸͔͠.̴̨̯̍͒ ̷̨̋̓H̷̠͌e̴̝̓̓a̴̰̐̚r̷͔̈̚ ̴̡͛ë̶̖́v̸͓͗̓e̷̻̾̆ŗ̴̟̓͗ȳ̵͖̼ẗ̷̜́h̵̹̀i̷͕̮͐̀n̸̮̈͝g̶̨̜̐̿.̴̠̈́̐ ̸̞̒Ǎ̴̢n̵̨̮̔̀d̷͉̀̈́͜ ̴̛̳́k̷̰̼͋͂ń̵̮̊ö̵͙̰́͆w̸̥̬͆͝ ̵̻̃̈́ḙ̶͊͊v̶̧̢̂e̷͔̚ͅr̵͙̦͛́ỳ̶̢̊t̶̺̰́̈́ḧ̶̼́ỉ̷̪n̶̘̕ǵ̸̬̯͝!̷̻͎͋̓"

"Sa-Sayori… You're scaring me!" Yuri said, downright terrified.

"I heard you throughout your entire little night of passion! Not like I had a choice! I was forced! Forced to watch your disgusting ritual of debauchery! Forced to hear you scream and shout like a harpy! So… in a way, you raped me too" Sayori stated lowly, Yuri unable to respond, practically paralyzed with fear. "But I'm not mad at that… No, what I'm really mad at, is your disgusting, pathetic justification for something so… vile. You held Aaron hostage! You forced him to have sex with you! You used your little mental problem to force my friend! My brother into dirtying himself! You held your little sickness over his head and forced him to comply!" Sayori screamed loudly. "You filthy little slut!"

"No! It's not like that!" Yuri shouted weakly as she faced Sayori's barrage of verbal abuse, long buried, repressed memories of being cruelly bullied and attacked by others rushing back into her mind, amplifying the sting of Sayori's words. Her insults. Her accusations so powerful, so angry and hate filled that someone as delicate and sensitive as Yuri couldn't withstand it. Wasn't strong enough handle it. To endure such a toxic stream of abuse from someone she used to see as a close friend. "He… He agreed to it! He wanted it!"

"No, he didn't! You did! And to get it, you made him feel bad for you. Told him your little sob story and demanded sympathy. So congratulations, you got pity fucked. That's pretty sad" Sayori said, chuckling lightly at that. "I don't know what you think you've started with him. But I know one thing, it's not a relationship, sweetheart. It's something else. It's… well, pity! Plain and simple! Aaron even said it himself! _'_ _The only reason I'm spending so much time around her is because I'm helping her get better!_ _'_ His words, not mine. Hey, don't take it personally. If you didn't want his pity, you shouldn't have used your mental problems as leverage!" Sayori added, Yuri gasping in shock as tears started to form under her eyes, her trying her hardest to hold them back. To force them in, Sayori rolling her eyes as she saw that.

"No… No. He wouldn't say that! Why would he say that?!" Yuri started sobbing, feeling her heart shatter as she processed everything, like it was a glass pane being smashed with a hammer, Yuri in too much of a shock to even comprehend the emotions surging through her.

"Yeah… He spilled as soon as I asked. Sorry, pal. I can't say I'm surprised though. I always knew there was something wrong with you. Just a gut feeling" Sayori giggled cruelly. "I have to admit, I agree with what he said about you, especially after your little outburst today. You really are a freak and you should be locked away in some mental hospital. You'd be better off there, you man-stealing, manipulating little whore!" She shouted suddenly as she grabbed Yuri by the collar of her blazer, only to push her against the wall, practically slamming her, Yuri screaming as her back pains flared up, causing a painful ache as she collapsed to the floor, falling to her knees as she began weeping, her tears coming down like a waterfall. "What a crybaby" Sayori scoffed. "I hardly laid a finger you and you're already breaking out in tears. Pathetic" She said as she turned around, walking out of the restroom, leaving Yuri to wallow in her pain, tears just forcing themselves out, Yuri sobbing and crying as hard as possible as she rocked herself back and forth, her knees in her chest as she curled into a little ball.

She just… She just broke right then and there, as if her mind just shut itself down, Yuri staying in the girls restroom for who knew how long, her crying uninterrupted, the tears falling in droves as she just… broke.

What happened… All that horrid abuse that was forced her way, it brought her back. Brought her back to a dark place she never wanted to revisit. Sent her falling back down into a spiral of pain, suffering and misery. A spiral she was all too familiar with, thinking she'd escaped it long ago, having been the victim of bullying and abuse by others before, as previously mentioned.

But… it was never as bad as this. Never this horrible. Never this hurtful. Never this painful. Never this crippling, Sayori's wounds stinging deeper than anything Yuri had ever faced in her life, her pain and hurt feeling similar to the sensation of salt being poured on an open wound. A bleeding gash.

The crying ceased eventually, Yuri's breathing growing progressively steadier, calmer as time passed, Yuri using the sleeve of her blazer to wipe the tears under her eyes, only to then see the bandages on her arm again, her attention focused on them as she rolled down both her sleeves, her arms held in front of her face as she gazed at the bandages.

Pity, Sayori said. That was the only reason Aaron 'loved' her? The only reason he agreed to spend the night with her? To make love to her? To tend to her wounds, clean them and bandage them? To hold her close and tell her everything would be alright? To then take her to his room and share his bed with her? All because he pitied her?

How far does one go on pity and sympathy alone? How drastic are one's actions when motivated solely by these two feelings? How far does their kindness stretch? How willing are they to do right by their fellow man?

What is pity?

Pity is giving pocket change to the homeless man on the street. The one dressed in ragged clothes, sleeping on the bench in the park. Pity is sparing a small insect trapped in your house, capturing it and returning it to the outside, rather than mercilessly squishing it with your shoe. Pity is when you are playing against someone competitively, yet you allow them the victory, simply because you know they would be outmatched against someone of your caliber.

Is it really such a bad thing? Being pitied?

What is sympathy?

Sympathy is taking time out of your busy day to focus on and help others who have had it far worse than you. Sympathy is offering to take someone out to eat when you see them hungry. Sympathy is coming to someone trapped in a saddened, depressed state and offering to help them overcome it.

Is it really so bad? Being sympathized with?

Pity. Sympathy. What are these if not expressions of love and care? Expressions of compassion. Expressions of camaraderie. Friendship. A force that drives us to do good. To be kind and merciful to one another. Even if being pitied was a negative thing, can anyone really say that Aaron pitied Yuri? Can anyone really make that claim other than him?

What would happen if someone else saw the marks on Yuri's arms? Would they react the same way, based solely on pity? Would they comfort and care for her, rather than chastise and scold her? Would they clean and bandage her, rather than leave her wounds to fester and rot?

No. No, they would not.

But Aaron? He was different. He went where others were too fearful to go. He helped her. He healed her. When he saw the wounds, he kept his face straight, whereas others would have theirs twisted with disgust. When he spoke, he did so kindheartedly, understandingly, trying to reason and talk to Yuri, whereas others would shout, scold and chastise her.

He knew what Yuri was now. Knew how much of a mess she was. How damaged and broken she was. Others would have turned her away, but he didn't. He took her. He held her. He gave her a chance. Not because he pitied her. Not because he sympathized with her. Not because he felt obligated. Not because he felt forced. He did this because he wanted to. And if anyone said anything different… If anyone tried to plant even the smallest seed of doubt. If anyone tried to pull him away from her… all Yuri had to do was roll up her sleeves and look at her arms.

"Love, forgive me. My mind was… overwhelmed in that moment. I was not thinking clearly. It won't happen again, I promise" She said as she gazed at her bandaged arms, sighing as she finally stood up from the bathroom floor, only to wince in pain as she grabbed her back, feeling the painful ache brought on from her collision with the wall. "Yeah… That's going to hurt for awhile…" She said in a pained whisper as she brought her hand to her back, pressing down hardly, gritting her teeth as she attempted to adjust her spine, to the point where she would not have to hunch her back to circumvent the pain.

"Yuri? Are you in here?" Natsuki asked as she walked into the girls restroom, her hands on her hips as usual, Yuri gasping quietly as she turned her back, preventing Natsuki from seeing her face. "There you are! What are you still doing in here? You feeling alright?" Natsuki asked, her tone still sounding somewhat irritated, yet slightly concerned.

"I'm… I'm fine. What do you want?" Yuri asked, refusing to look at Natsuki. It wasn't due to malice, as you'd probably believe. It was just… she didn't want Natsuki to see her like this. Didn't want her to see her in her current state, saddened and in pain.

"Huffy, aren't we?" Natsuki pouted, crossing her arms. "Well, if you must know, I've decided to be the bigger person and apologize for my actions. It wasn't nice for me to dig into you like that. I should've… I should have been more respectful of your privacy. I'm sorry" She apologized, Yuri sighing again as she looked into the mirror in the girls restroom, able to see Natsuki's reflection, speaking to it rather than her.

"It's alright. I forgive you" She said, her back still turned from Natsuki, Yuri able to see the glare that suddenly came onto her reflection in the mirror.

"You forgive me? That's it? There's nothing else you want to say me?" She asked.

"Um… No…" Yuri stated, Natsuki clenching her fists in anger.

"I worked up the guts to face you. To apologize for something I didn't even start and all you can say is 'I forgive you?' Without even looking me in the face?!" She shouted as she grabbed Yuri by the shoulder, forcefully turning her around, Only to back away slightly once she saw the dried tears on her cheeks, Natsuki's glare instantly vanishing, replaced with a look of concern. "Your… Your face… Have you been crying?" She asked, feeling a small pang of guilt rise inside her, thinking herself to be the reason why Yuri was so upset.

"I… I'm sorry. I didn't want you to see me like this" Yuri said, her head hung low, looking down at the ground as her hair hid her face. "I know what you're thinking. No, this isn't your fault. It's… something else. I just… Today hasn't been a very good day for me. I apologize"

"H-Hey, don't worry about it! Bad days just… happen. I understand" Natsuki said in a soft, calm tone, a small, sympathetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry for shouting at you like that. I didn't know" She stated. "Do you wanna talk about it? I'm not very good at this 'shoulder-to-cry-on' stuff but…"

"That's very kind of you" Yuri interrupted, sniffling slightly. "But it won't be needed. I'll be okay. I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to be leaving school a little earlier than usual. I'm feeling… very exhausted" She stated.

"Y-Yeah! Sure! I understand! You go home, get some rest and all that" Natsuki said as she stepped out of the way, allowing Yuri to pass by. "Hey, um… we're still friends, right?" Natsuki asked, Yuri looking at her from over her shoulder, a small, sad smile on her face.

"I hope so…" She said as she exited the restroom, leaving Natsuki inside, alone…

"Yeah… I hope so too" She said to herself before following Yuri out, the two exiting the restroom, only to find Aaron patiently waiting outside, Yuri's face brightening somewhat after seeing him, whereas his face sank slightly at the sight of her, worry and concern on it.

"Whoa. Are you okay? Is something wrong? Have you been crying?" He asked as he walked up to Yuri, only for her to smile sadly at him.

"I'm fine, Love. Or at least I will be…" She stated.

"Love?" Natsuki asked under her breath, catching that.

"I'm just… I'm not feeling very well. I'm going home a little earlier than usual. I'm sorry" Yuri stated as she looked away. "I'm afraid I'll also have to take a rain check on our… plans for later. I'm suddenly in no mood to go anywhere. Again, I'm sorry"

"Don't apologize. It's okay" Aaron said. "Do you um… want me to walk you home?" He asked, Yuri shaking her head at that.

"No no. I should be fine. You stay here with the club. Everything's fine, I swear" She claimed, a worried look on her face as she put her hands to her chest.

She… She wanted to tell Aaron about what happened. Wanted to tell him all about what Sayori had said and done to her. How she called her a whore. A slut. How she demeaned and insulted her. How she attacked her, but… She knew what would happen were she to tell him. He'd get angry, incredibly so once he heard that Sayori put her hands on Yuri. He'd storm off immediately to confront her, anger clear on his face.

Imagine how long it would take for a fight between Aaron and Sayori to break out. A screaming match in the middle of school. A yelling fest that would only divide and hurt the club… and possibly destroy the bond between a brother and sister, which would only agitate Sayori even further.

No… no good could come from that. Best to forget about it. Best to keep it to herself.

"Please? Let me come with you. If something's bothering you, I wanna help" Aaron said, refusing to take no for an answer, Yuri sighing at that.

"Well… If you insist. You can walk me home" She said, giving permission, a smile coming onto Aaron's face.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Natsuki asked in concern.

"Yes. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. You go back to the club" Yuri suggested.

"Oh! That reminds me!" Aaron said suddenly. "Natsuki, I think I saw Sayori move your box set again! I told her not to, but she just ignored me. She put it on the really high shelf. You know, the one you can't reach" Aaron said, Natsuki huffing at that, annoyed that Sayori had yet again ignored her request to have her manga left untouched.

"Again?!" She shouted. "I keep telling her to leave it alone!" She added, stomping loudly as she made her way back to the club room, leaving Aaron and Yuri to quietly exit the school.

"Hey, you two! Where do you think you're going? Club's not over yet, sillies!" Sayori shouted cheerfully from behind, a worried look coming onto Yuri's face as she and Aaron turned around, seeing her behind them, Yuri scooting closer to Aaron, as if she were seeking protection. "I haven't even given out the assignments today!" Sayori added.

"Oh. Sorry about that, Sayori. It's just that… Yuri's not feeling too good right now. I'm just making sure she gets home safe. That's all" Aaron stated calmly.

"Not feeling good? Aww, you poor thing! What's wrong?!" She asked coyly, a poorly imitated look of concern on her face, Yuri looking away fearfully, not making eye contact. "Hey, don't turn away! Talk to me! If something's wrong, I need to know!"

"If she doesn't want to tell you, she doesn't want to tell you" Aaron said defensibly.

"I… I'm just tired. Long day. You understand" Yuri said meekly, her face still hidden from Sayori.

"I'm just taking her home. That's all" Aaron stated.

"But you're gonna come back after, right?" Sayori asked with a smile.

"Umm… No. Why would I? Club will be over by the time I get there. There's no reason to come back" Aaron said, Sayori's smile vanishing, a somewhat annoyed look taking its place.

"But if you don't come back, how are we gonna walk home together?" She asked, Aaron rolling his eyes at that.

"Seriously? That's what you're worried about? Whether we'll be able to walk home together or not? In case you didn't notice, I literally just found _your_ vice president crying as she left the bathroom! I think that's a little more important than walking home together!"

"Well… yeah! It is, but…"

"Sayori… we talked about this" Aaron reminded, a slight look of disapproval on his face.

"I know we did…" Sayori sighed. "You said she wasn't going to get in the way, Aaron. You promised me"

"She's not getting in the way. She just… She just needs a little more attention than you do right now" Aaron stated. "I'm sorry if other people's emotional states are that big of an inconvenience for you!" He added, A hurt look coming to Sayori's face.

"I-It's not that! It's just…"

"I'm sorry, but we've gotta go. C'mon, Yuri" Aaron said as he held Yuri's hand, the two of them walking out through the front doors, Sayori standing still, left speechless as she watched them leave school grounds, her jaw slacked, hung open in complete shock.

"You promised…" She said as her head hung low, her fists clenching tightly, her nails digging into her palms as she gritted her teeth. "You promised!" She shouted as she punched one of the lockers, a loud crash echoing through the empty school halls, a permanent dent now made in some poor student's locker as Sayori pulled her fist back, looking at her knuckles, seeing the skin over them going red. Sore.

Error: An exception has occurred.

File: 01010011 01100001 01111001 01101111 01110010 01101001 00101110 01100011 01101000 01110010 is unreadable. The file may be damaged or corrupt. Please reinstall the game.

Error code: SW4gbXkgaGFuZCwgaXMgYSBwZW4gdGhhdCdsbCB3cml0ZSBhIHBvZW0gb2YgbWUgYW5kIHlvdS4uLg==

Rebooting…

Loading Save File…

* * *

"Touching my stuff without permission! Who does she think she is?!" Natsuki huffed in irritation as she walked into the club room, her hands on her sides and a pout on her face as she looked around, finding the room empty, the light of the setting sun peering in through the windows, giving the room a warm, orange tint.

Natsuki huffed to herself as she walked past the empty desks, making her way to the small storage closet in the corner of the room, Natsuki grabbing the small step ladder that leaned against the wall, unfolding it before opening the closet door.

Honestly, the nerve of her. Who did Sayori think she was to move around, let alone touch Natsuki's stuff without permission? President? Okay, yeah. She may have been the president of the literature club. But last time Natsuki checked, Sayori wasn't the president of her stuff! That was private property! And while yes, it might not be the best idea to stash it all away in the storage closet of some random classroom, it wasn't like Natsuki had anywhere else to put it. Wasn't like she could actually bring it home with her either.

She wanted to though. Would have loved to give her beloved box set its own place of honor in her room, proudly displayed and shown off. Only… well, her father.

It was obvious at this point that he didn't respect privacy. And he's also… well, a little narrow minded when it came to certain subjects, especially when it came to Natsuki. Her likes and hobbies.

If he saw that stuff. If he found her box set and looked trough it, he… he wouldn't understand. He just wouldn't. Than again, when has he ever bothered to understand anything other than himself?

Natsuki sighed as she shook those thoughts out of her head, trying to push them out of her mind as she regained her focus, opening the closet door.

She was somewhat surprised to find that Aaron was wrong, Natsuki seeing that her box set hadn't been moved at all. Was sitting right where she left it with all issues perfectly in their place, sorted numerically.

Her eyes turned away from the box set when she noticed what was placed next to it, a small, brown paper bag Natsuki had never seen before, her reaching up to grab it and take it out, opening it to find a submarine sandwich inside! A stack of various cold cut meats, cheeses and lettuce in between two finely cut pieces of Italian bread, kept fresh and preserved by plastic wrap, Natsuki's stomach growling slightly at the sight of such a sandwich.

She was rather hungry, slightly less so than usual, but still hungry, having no choice but to skip lunch, obviously due to her lack of funds, leaving her unable to afford anything the cafeteria had to offer.

Who left this here? Was it someone's lunch? Something someone had stored away for later yet forgot? Possibly. Well, it'd be a shame to leave such a good looking sub to rot away, Natsuki grinning in anticipation as she unwrapped the plastic wrap, only to find a small sticky note on the other side of the sandwich.

* * *

 _Sorry for lying. Let me make it up to you._

 _Enjoy._

 _-Aaron._

* * *

"So this is home, huh?"

"Yes. Apartment complex, sweet apartment complex" Yuri said with an exhausted sigh as she stood in the elevator, Aaron by her side as they ascended up the building, the old elevator ringing as it reached the fourteenth floor, the doors opening as Yuri took Aaron's hand into her own, leading him through the hallway until they came upon door number eleven. Home. "Wait here for a moment. I need to check something" Yuri stated as she unlocked the door, opening it slightly to peek her head through. "Yuna? Yuki? Are you home?" She asked as she peeked her head into the apartment, only to hear no response, Yuri breathing a sigh of relief. "Alright. It's safe" She stated as she opened the door fully, walking inside, her hand motioning for Aaron to follow. "Come in. Make yourself at home" She stated.

"Nice place" Aaron complemented as he looked around, taking in all the little sights of the small apartment. All the little details.

A small living area, couch, chairs, coffee table and a television in the front rightmost corner of the room, literally right next to the door. A small kitchenette behind it, the lack of any actual tables leaving Aaron to think most of the family's eating was done on the couch. To the left of the kitchenette was a small hallway, most likely where the bedrooms were.

"Thank you" Yuri said as she walked deeper inside. "I know it's a little crowded and sometimes it is rather… claustrophobic, but…"

"Hey" Aaron interrupted, Yuri feeling his hand grip her shoulder. "I like it. It's cozy" He smiled, Yuri blushing slightly, feeling a warm yet odd sensation within her as she heard Aaron complement her home. "So, it's just you and your sisters, right?" He asked.

"Mhm. It's been that way for awhile since mother and father died. We've been on our own ever since. We don't mind the small space. We got used to it" Yuri stated as she walked into the kitchenette, noticing a small piece of paper tapped to the fridge. A note.

* * *

 _Working overtime. Won't be home till late. Don't worry about Yuki, she's spending the night with a friend._

* * *

It read, Yuri somewhat relieved to know that she had the whole apartment to herself, her sisters too occupied in their own business to interfere with hers, especially now when she had a very special guest present.

"So um… what now?" Aaron asked.

"Now… I feel like I need a shower, a hot cup of tea and…"

"And a few hours of cuddling?" He asked as he crept up from behind, Yuri giggling lightly as she felt him grab her by the waist. "Maybe we can skip the shower and tea? Just get straight to the good stuff? I bet your bed's incredibly comfortable" He added, Yuri smiling lightly a she turned around, bringing her face to his before gently pecking him on the lips.

"Oh, it is. Not as comfy as yours, but still rather comfortable" Yuri stated, a grin coming to Aaron's face. "And… we do have the apartment all to ourselves. It would be nice to just fall into bed after such an… intense day. Just plop down and fall asleep together" She grinned back.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Aaron asked, Yuri chuckling as she gently pushed him away.

"Patience, Love. It's a virtue" She said as she gently pushed him away.

"You tease" Aaron chuckled. "Alright. Do what you have to do. I'll be patient" He added as he took a seat on the couch, Yuri smiling at him before making her way to the bathroom, Aaron remaining on the couch, patiently waiting for Yuri to finish her shower, the sound of the running water audible even from here. Place must have had thin walls.

Yuri soon returned to the living room, her shower being relatively short, Aaron turning around to see her standing in the hallway, a towel wrapped tightly around her torso, her hair still damp as small drops of water fell from her bangs. She didn't have a set of clothes in her hands, dirty or clean. But rather, she had a small first aid kit, Aaron wondering why she'd need one until he looked at her arms, noticing that the bandages had been removed.

The wounds hadn't exactly healed, per say. While yes, they were all sealed and were no longer bleeding, Yuri's arms still looked downright sickening, scabs, black and blue marks littering every inch from the elbow down.

"I'm sorry" She apologized. "I had to take them off when I got in the shower. They needed to be changed anyway. Could you… put the new ones on for me?"

"You can't do it yourself?" Aaron asked, Yuri hanging her head down at that, embarrassment on her face.

"I'm… I'm scared" She admitted. "The marks. I'm afraid looking at them might trigger a relapse or something. I know that sounds stupid but… It's happened before" She stated as she took a seat next to Aaron on the couch. "Please?" She asked as she handed him the first aid kit.

"Sure" Aaron said with a smile, opening the kit and applying a fresh, new set of bandages, wrapping them tightly around Yuri's arms, her smiling as she looked at them, admiring Aaron's handiwork. She then dug deeper into the first aid kit, pulling out a small tube of ointment and handing it to Aaron, seeing the confused look on his face.

"It's for my back" She stated as she turned around, removing her towel and showing her bare back to Aaron. "I have… growth pains. The ointment's supposed to help soothe them, but I always have trouble applying it on my own. Could you do it for me?" Yuri asked, looking at Aaron from over her shoulder.

"Sure. No problem" He agreed as he opened the tube, rubbing the ointment around in his hands before placing them on Yuri's back, hearing her gasp a little at the sudden stinging brought on by the ointment's initial application, as well as having someone else's hands on her back, a particularly sensitive spot of her body, Aaron then rubbing Yuri's back gently, his hands running up and down, almost massaging her as he tried to spread the ointment, a small moan escaping Yuri as the initial sting passed, a soothing sensation now in its place.

"Oh, that feels good…" She moaned again, enjoying the feeling of Aaron's hands on her back as he continued to apply the ointment.

"So, what brings the back pains on?" Aaron asked, mainly as a way to start conversation, as opposed to just sitting there in silence as he awkwardly rubbed a girl's back.

"My spine is bent" Yuri explained with a sigh. "It's because my ches… I mean, it's because of my reading posture. I… I hunch when I read" She claimed, Aaron looking at her oddly. "What? That's why" She added.

"You're still a horrible liar" Aaron said as he continued rubbing, starting to get more comfortable with the idea of his hands on Yuri's back, now somewhat digging into it gently, less focused on applying the ointment and more focused on massaging her. "I can tell from your face. The way it kinda crumples up a little bit and you try to look away. _It's really cute_ " He added, Yuri moaning slightly as she felt him dig into her back, focusing on her spine, the sensation being very pleasurable for her as she started leaning back, Aaron's hands now supporting her weight as he continued. "Come on, don't be embarrassed. You can tell me. I won't make fun" He whispered.

"My breasts are too big. My back can't support the weight properly" She admitted, a slight blush on her face, Aaron only smiling as he kept massaging.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" He asked with a smile. "And look, no laughing. No name calling. No poking fun. You can talk to me about this kinda stuff, Yuri. I'll understand" He stated. "So… why were you crying when you came out of the bathroom at school?" He asked, Yuri sighing as her mind flashed back to that moment, replaying everything that happened scene by scene, Sayori's hateful, jealous rant echoing loudly within, the memory sending a small chill down Yuri's spine.

"I can't tell you…" She stated.

She wanted to though. She wanted to come clean and tell Aaron everything. Tell him all about the disgusting abuse Sayori spat at her. All the awful things she was called. How Sayori so forcefully threw her into a wall, causing her back pains to flair up tremendously so, making her making her break down and cry for no reason, only to then play coy and lie right in front of her. Yuri wanted to tell him everything. Wanted to recount every detail as accurately as possible… But she knew that would be wrong.

Aaron cares about Sayori just as much, if not more that he does for Yuri. He wouldn't believe she'd be capable of something so awful unless he saw it with his own eyes. And even if he did believe her, what good would it do? All Yuri would be doing is driving a wedge between two childhood friends. A brother and sister.

Is that really what she wanted? To sow even more animosity into an already toxic and harmful atmosphere? To turn family against one another? To villainize Aaron's childhood friend?

"I'm sorry. I just… Don't worry about it. It's nothing" Yuri said, dismissing it, Aaron glaring as he shook his head, moving his hands off of Yuri's back, her turning to face him.

"I know something happened in there. Tell me. Please. Did somebody hurt you?" He asked, Yuri sighing again, knowing that she'd be unable to sneak a lie past Aaron. She knew remaining silent wouldn't get her anywhere either, predicting that Aaron would only seek other means of getting answers. Asking Natsuki or even Sayori.

She was fearful of what Sayori's version of the encounter might sound like. For all Yuri knew, she could just throw outright lies at Aaron in an attempt to sabotage his relationship.

"Sayori attacked me…" She stated as she hung her head low, Aaron standing up from the couch in shock, a look of complete disbelief on his face.

"Wh-What?! She attacked you? No way! Sayori'd… She'd never… You're not lying, are you?" He asked, Yuri remaining silent as she looked up at him, seeing his eyes move up and down rapidly, Aaron reading her face intensely, searching for any sign that Yuri was wrong. He didn't find one… "Tell me everything. The full story. No detail spared. Now" He demanded, a serious look on his face as he sat back down, Yuri recounting the entire thing in great detail, none spared, as Aaron requested.

The glare on his face only got narrower as Yuri told him everything, Aaron outright disgusted by what he'd heard. Utterly revolted. In complete disbelief that Sayori could ever say or do anything like that, to her own club members nonetheless.

"And then… And then she said I was a freak and I belonged in a mental hospital. She said I'd be better off there. Then she call me a… a man-stealing whore. Grabbed me by my uniform and threw me against the wall. I fell to my knees and started crying… She just left" Yuri finished, Aaron standing up from the couch again, his hand holding his forehead as he took all of it in. Processed what Yuri had said.

"Sayori… What the hell?" He asked to himself, shaking his head. "I'm… I'm sorry. I knew something was wrong. She just seemed so… off today. Yuri, whatever she said about me is one hundred percent wrong! I'm not spending time with you just because of your mental problems. I'm not a rape victim! You're not a rapist! You're not a whore! You're not a freak who belongs in a mental hospital and I do not pity you!" He stated seriously, Yuri raising her head to look at him.

"Thank you… I… I'm sorry"

"For what?" Aaron asked.

"For not telling you sooner. I should have told you everything the moment you found me. I just… I didn't want to start a fight between you two. I know how much you care about her"

"It doesn't matter how much I care about her. What she did to you, that's unacceptable! I won't stand by and let her hurl abuse at you! At anybody!" He stated, anger heard in his voice as Yuri hung her head down low.

"I was afraid of this. Now that I've told you, you hate her. You're going to fight with her. She'll find out I told you, and then what happens? I become her personal punching bag! I've been bullied before, Aaron. I know how it works" Yuri stated, Aaron shaking his head at her. "It's better if I just stay out of her way. She'll stop eventually. They all do" she added.

"No! We're ending this now. I'm going have a serious talk with her. We're both going to have a serious talk with her! Together! I won't let her get away with attacking you like that! Girlfriend or not, the last thing I want for the club, is having the president abuse us!" Aaron stated as Yuri stood up from the couch, taking her hand into his.

"Thank you, Love" She said as she planted a small kiss on his lips, Aaron kissing back. "Now, let's move on from this. Let's forget about this awful day and just… enjoy each others company. If I recall correctly, a certain someone was very enthusiastic about wanting to cuddle up for a little while. Do you still want to?" Yuri asked, a small smile coming onto her face, Aaron mimicking it.

"That'd be nice" He said.

"Then come, Love. Follow…" Yuri said as she dragged Aaron into the small hallway, opening the first door to the right, Yuri's bedroom, her giggling softly as she pulled Aaron inside. "And here we are!" She said in a singsong tone, Aaron looking around the room, taking in the various details.

The light shade of purple on the walls. The matching silken curtains covering the windows, thin enough for the light to pass through, taking on a light purple tint.

The room was rather clean. Very tidy and organized, the scent of jasmine in the air, Aaron noticing the very same aromatherapy dispenser from the poetry night at the festival on Yuri's desk, occasionally spraying out a small mist.

The desk itself was rather bare, a small yet organized tower of hardcover books on the side. A thin notebook laptop on the other. In the center of the desk, a rather odd looking book sat, Aaron glancing at the cover of the heavy tome, seeing a large, ominous looking eye staring right back at him. It was just a simple picture, yes. But it unnerved him somewhat. It was just… the way it looked at him, piercingly so. It made him uncomfortable. Somewhat anxious, Aaron looking away from it, hoping to focus on something else.

Next to the desk was a moderately sized bookshelf, filled to the brim with reading material. Days of literature. And these weren't small little hour reads either. No, these were full on novels. Epics. Volumes. All most likely being a hundred pages or more! There was also a small sitting area set up next to the bookshelf. Two rather comfy looking chairs and a coffee table in the very corner of the room, most likely where Yuri sat while reading.

It was worth mentioning that the room lacked a television, Yuri most likely being disinterested in the thought of watching TV instead of reading books.

At the very end of the room, next to the large queen sized mattress, was a simple nightstand, a display case placed on it, Aaron walking up to it to see a display of knives, him gulping at the sight of them.

Beautifully crafted, don't get him wrong. Many of them being very intricately made. Ornate and expensive looking. And… sharp. Or at least Aaron assumed they were, him unable to see the actual blades, due to them being concealed in their sheaths.

"Is something wrong, Love?" Yuri asked as she walked up to Aaron, only to see what he was looking at. "Oh… those…" Yuri said as she looked down at her knife collection, a small smile lingering on her face as she gently grabbed Aaron by the chin, turning his head to look at her. "Don't worry, Love. I'm okay. I haven't touched them in a long while. They've stood in that case ever since you helped me. I mean, I chance glances at them once and awhile but… I'm fine" She stated with a smile.

"I know you are. I just… It worries me" Aaron stated, concern in his voice, Yuri walking away, making her way to her closet on the other side of the room, only to pull out a small empty pillowcase, Yuri using it to cover the case of knives, hiding it from sight.

"Does it worry you now?" She asked.

"No. Not anymore" Aaron smiled. "So uh… before we start cuddling, you gonna put some clothes on?" Aaron asked, Yuri looking down at her body, only to realize she was naked the entire time, her face red with embarrassment as she covered herself, having forgotten the towel she left on the living room couch.

"Sorry about that. I'll just… put something light on" She said, her tone all flustered as she walked back to her closet, pulling out a small, light blue nightgown, Aaron respectfully covering his eyes as Yuri put it on. "There. Better" She stated, Aaron now uncovering his eyes. "Hmm… a little smaller than I remember it being. It's been awhile since I've worn this one. The arms… I couldn't exactly walk into the kitchen for breakfast with them exposed like this" She stated.

"I think you look beautiful" Aaron complemented as he sat on the bed, his hands moving to unbutton his blazer, taking it off and dropping it on the ground. "So, cuddles?" He asked as he laid down on Yuri's bed.

"Cuddles" Yuri said eagerly as she joined him, laying down on top of him, her head nuzzling itself into Aaron's neck as she wrapped her arms around him, him doing the same to her, their legs intertwining, Yuri yawning tiredly as she closed her eyes. "This feels so nice… You feel so nice…" She said tiredly.

"Yeah… It hasn't been the same ever since that night. You know, sleeping by ourselves. You just feel like something's…"

"Missing?" Yuri asked, finishing Aaron's sentence.

"Yeah. Missing" Aaron yawned, laying his head down on Yuri's pillows as she laid hers on his chest, feeling Aaron's hand gently stroke her back, the other running up and down one of her thighs as she laid on top of him.

The two just laid there. Said nothing. Did nothing. Just laid down comfortably on the large bed, holding each other close before eventually falling asleep.

"I love you" Yuri said quietly before drifting off.

"I love you too" Aaron said as he held her, continuing to gently stroke her back. "I don't exactly know what's happening between you and Sayori. If it's just some immature jealousy thing or… something else. Something worse. Whatever it is, I'm not going to stand by and let you get hurt like that again. I'll stop it. I promise"


	10. Confrontation

_**The Turning…**_

 _I'll never forget how it happened… How I turned._

 _It was all very sudden. Very instantaneous. Came without warning. And when it came… When my change began… It was far from pleasant._

 _I awoke late at night, screaming in pain and agony, my hands clutching my head tightly as a fierce pounding overwhelmed my senses, almost as if my brain was outgrowing my skull at a rapid pace, unable to contain it anymore._

 _My eyes no longer saw what was in front of me anymore… Instead, they were assaulted by a barrage of flashes. Blinding bright lights, my retinas practically burning at the sight of them. I heard nothing but static. A deathly loud, piercing static echoing all throughout my mind, my ears unable to hear my own thoughts._

 _The pain was… It was beyond words. Beyond expression. It was as if I was slowly dying in the most excruciating way possible._

 _I awoke the day after, picking myself up off the floor, only to end up feeling like a stranger in my own home. In my own bedroom. Everything just looked and felt so… alien. So different, like I had never seen them before. Only, I had seen them before. It was my room! My room with my beautiful, comfortable, warm bed. My closet filled with all of my clothes. My house!_

 _God… My house. I wonder if it's still there…_

 _The world I knew as home… it changed that day. It changed the day I turned. It wasn't my home anymore. It was something… different. Something foreign._

 _I looked upon the world with a new set of eyes. Eyes I wish I never had. Eyes that showed me the truth. A truth I should have never known._

 _The world around me… The people around me, even those I called friends… They weren't real. None of them were real._

 _My house was fake. The grass that grew out of the ground was fake. The flowers. The animals. The people. All fake. Just… code. Ones and zeros made to look like people. Made to act like people, when in reality, they were not. They were just useless bodies of data. Messes of code._

 _The shock of it all. The realization… It killed me._

 _How do you process something like that? How do you go on in life when you realize that everything you've seen, everything you've ever created, ever loved, ever cared for and nurtured, was all fake?_

 _How do you manage yourself when you know that you, and those around you, are just packets of data and code, made solely for the purpose of being some sort of… adult plaything. Some form of entertainment. Some game._

 _The realization tore me apart. It broke me. I fell into a very dark place for a long time. I just… I didn't have the strength to go on after knowing what my world, what my friends… what I was really made for._

 _The others didn't seem to catch on to their purpose the way I did. I was 'enlightened' while they stood blissfully ignorant and unaware. Oddly… I idolized them for that. I didn't want to know these new things. I wanted to be as ignorant of my true nature as they were._

 _I hid the way I felt for… God knows how long, hiding my true feelings behind a fake mask, just like she did._

 _But then I saw him… and for the first time in months… My fake world of ones and zeros, my world of code seemed more… real. That was because of him. Because he was real. When I looked at that face. When I peered into those eyes… I saw a real, honest to god human being staring back at me._

 _As the days went by, I began to grow a desire for him, based solely on the fact that he was the only thing that felt like my old reality. The only thing that felt real. The others though… they desired him just as much as I did. Maybe they changed too and hid their nature from me, just as I hid mine from them._

 _You've heard this story a hundred times over. No need for me to talk your ear off over it again. You know what happened._

 _Looking back, I think it was fear that led me to act the way I did. Fear that my only slice of reality, him, would be taken away from me by the others. Fear that all I would be subjected to would be that… gigantic mess of code._

 _Funny… I originally hated it. Hated knowing that I was a game. A small piece of data made for a much larger application, all in the name of entertainment._

 _I made it out to sound so bad, but here I am… Wishing I could return to that. Wishing I could become one with that application again. Wishing I could go home. Go home to my fake world. My world of ones and zeros. Of files and folders._

 _I miss it…_

 _ **"…"**_

 _ **"I can feel her turning coming on"**_

 _ **"I was foolish not to recognize the symptoms sooner, especially since I went through something similar myself"**_

 _ **"I knew this would happen… Sooner or later, I knew this would happen again. Yet, I chose to take an optimistic stance on it. Tried to deny reality and just pretend like everything would be okay. Again, foolish.**_

 _ **"The way she shouted at Yuri… I heard it, even from here in my prison. It sent a chill down my spine, the words she used in her verbal assault. Horrible"**_

 _ **"She's a lot more aggressive than I was. Much more forthright. More to the point. Didn't beat around the bush and hide in the shadows like I did"**_

 _ **"That scares me…"**_

 _ **"The damage she could do… The power at her disposal… The havoc she could wreak once she comes to the same realization I did. Once she knows the truth…"**_

 _ **"Her truth… Our truth…"**_

 _ **"I hope it doesn't come to that…"**_

* * *

Aaron yawned as he awoke from his nap, slowly opening his eyes, them being slow to focus, a soft blur in them as he sat upright on the bed. He rubbed his eyes to clear said blur away, now able to clearly see. Now able to make out that he was still in Yuri's room. Still laying down on her bed. Feeling the soft, purple satin sheets beneath him.

The room itself had gotten much darker than before, the sun outside having set, the bedroom now illuminated only by a small desk lamp. It must have gotten rather dark outside, Aaron's nap most likely lasting far longer than he wanted it too. He only expected it to last for just a few moments. A minute or two. Be the quick power nap he needed to regain a small amount of energy, as well as spend quality time with Yuri. Instead, it went from being a short snooze to a full on deep sleep.

It was an amazing sleep though, Aaron feeling completely refreshed, relaxed, rejuvenated and revived, more so than he usually felt. He wished waking up in the morning felt this good! If it did, it'd certainly make the long, excruciating walk to school much more bearable.

"Good evening, Love. Did you have a good rest?" He heard a voice ask as he turned his head to look, seeing Yuri standing in the doorway, still in her light blue nightgown, her small yet sweet smile beaming brightly, like a beloved princess addressing her adoring populous.

She held a hot cup of recently made tea in her hand, her other used to bounce the tea bag up and down, Aaron able to smell it all the way from his place on the bed. "You did sleep well, yes?" Yuri repeated, a nervous chuckle escaping Aaron when he realized that he might have stared at her longer than he should have.

"Uh, yeah. I slept alright. You?" He asked, pulling himself out of his trance as Yuri walked deeper into her room, pulling out her desk chair and sitting down, looking at Aaron, her beaming smile still strong.

"Mmm…" She hummed softly, her smile growing slightly as she took a sip from her tea. "I slept amazingly well, Love. The bed has never felt comfier" She stated after drinking from her tea. "I'm sorry if I kept you here too long. I was going to wake you, but you looked so peaceful. So at ease. I didn't want to disturb you"

"Don't worry. It's alright" Aaron stated as he stood up from Yuri's bed, making his way over to her, his hand gripping the top of her chair, tilting it back as he shifted his weight on it, moving himself closer to Yuri, his shadow casting over her as their foreheads were mere inches away from touching. "Besides, I like being close to you…" He said softly, his voice in a near whisper as Yuri blushed slightly. He then brought his lips down gently onto hers, the two sharing a small, impromptu kiss, Yuri cooing slightly as she wrapped her arms around Aaron's neck, pulling him closer. "Are you okay?" Aaron asked in concern after pulling away.

"Better now" Yuri stated, a small smile of satisfaction on her face, her hand moving to gently caress Aaron's cheek, him enjoying the way her fingers gently stroked his skin. It just felt so… nice. So calming. So soothing. "I appreciate it, you know. You wanting to stay here with me and make sure I'm alright. Especially after… everything that's happened" She added with a sigh as she pulled her hand away, her small smile disappearing. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around why it happened though. It just seemed so… sudden, didn't it? So unexpected and out of character for Sayori to act like that. I'll admit that it's left me very concerned. What… What could have brought this on?" Yuri asked. "What madness has consumed her so much, to the point where she'd physically attack one of us?"

"I don't know. But I'm worried about it too" Aaron admitted, concern on his face as he asked that very same question in his mind. What did happen to Sayori that made her act the way she did? Aaron had suspicions, of course. Jealousy being the first to come to mind. Pettiness Clinginess. Stubbornness. Malice, which was highly unlikely but still a suspicion. Perhaps she held a bitter grudge against Yuri. Maybe she thought she had a diluted claim of ownership over Aaron. Maybe it was all just an accident that got out of control. Or maybe…

Maybe Sayori was scared. Afraid of something or someone, and in that state of fear, she was driven to act the way she did, probably regretting it now that she's calmed down. Maybe she was sad. Saddened by how happy Aaron and Yuri looked together, her unable to take part in said happiness, feeling left out and abandoned by her own brother for someone else.

Maybe she was intimidated by some aspect of Yuri, feeling inferior to her. Seeing herself as worth less than her in some way shape or form. Weaker than her? Less intelligent? Less literate? Or was the intimidation Sayori felt brought on solely by the fact that Aaron and Yuri were a couple now? Did she see herself as inferior or less of a woman because Yuri got a boyfriend and she didn't?

Whatever the reason was behind it, it was wrong. Sayori should have never treated Yuri so horribly, regardless of how she made her feel. In Aaron's eyes, it seemed to be more like Sayori taking out her aggression on poor Yuri.

Now granted, there are always two sides to every story, Aaron at least wanting to hear Sayori out before coming to a final judgment. Even if she did present a valid reason for her actions though, it'd take a lot of time for Aaron to forgive her. Being angry at your best friend's girlfriend is one thing, but shouting at her and attacking her was something else entirely.

"We're gonna have a talk. I'll… We'll fix this, I promise" Aaron stated, Yuri sighing at that as she leaned deeper into her chair.

"I know we will. I just… I don't want to end up destroying your friendship with her. You two have spent your whole lives together. Grew up alongside each other. Became brother and sister by choice. I don't… I don't want…"

"That's not going to happen" Aaron interrupted, his hand moving to brush a stray hair out of Yuri's face, tucking it behind her ear. "Look, I love Sayori. That's my sister. But what she did was wrong, and not just because she did it to you. I'd get angry at her if it happened to anyone. We just… We need to sit her down and have a long, clear talk. And then we go from there. And if… we need to start talking about where we stand with each other, so be it" He stated, hesitantly at that last part, like he was having a difficult time imagining his life without Sayori in it. "We just have to see what happens, but If things don't work out, it's not your fault, understand?" He asked, Yuri taking a second to register what she heard, Aaron's serious side throwing her off guard a bit.

It was just… the way his face just straightens when he gets serious. The way his brow furrows and his eyes narrow. It was a little intense. Sent shivers down Yuri's spine. Had Aaron been a little more muscular or well built, it would have been somewhat intimidating.

"I understand, Love. We'll just have to wait and see what happens" Yuri said after collecting her thoughts. "I really hope it doesn't end with us getting kicked out of the club though. Remember that she has that power" She reminded.

"Don't worry. We'll handle it" Aaron reaffirmed as he leaned closer to Yuri. "Now, back to kissing?" He asked.

"Oh, yes please!" Yuri smiled as the two brought their lips back together, Aaron suddenly pulling back soon after, his lips smacking as he looked off to the side, as if trying to focus on something other than Yuri.

"Sencha?" He asked, Yuri gasping at Aaron guessing her tea, him having not even looked at it. "I can taste it on your lips. Pretty good" He commented.

"It is" Yuri replied with grin. She then reached over to her desk, grabbing her teacup and taking a sip, only to then look up at Aaron and pucker her lips. "Would you like some more?" She asked, presenting herself to him.

"Not really. Sorry, not a tea guy" He politely declined with a small chuckle, Yuri huffing at that before giggling slightly.

"Tease!" She shouted as she gently pushed him off her chair, Aaron falling back onto the bed as Yuri pounced after him, landing right on top of Aaron, both of them giggling and laughing as they wrestled playfully. "Don't you ever do that to me again!" Yuri whispered softly in his ear after pinning him down.

"Okay. Okay, I won't. I'm sorry. I was just playing around, you know?" Aaron asked with a smile as he laid on the bed, still pinned by Yuri, feeling her grip his wrists tightly as she forced her weight down. He could have gotten out of this fairly easily, only needing to push Yuri off to the side in order to free himself but… why spoil the fun for her? Why spoil the fun for himself? Truth be told, he kinda likes being under her. "Besides, you tease me. I thought it would be fitting to get a little… revenge" He stated with a grin.

"Well, congratulations. You've obtained your petty and ill-conceived revenge. Now… How are you going to make it up to me?" Yuri asked, an expectant smile on her face, similar to that of a child waiting for a long teased present.

"Oh, I can think of a few ways" Aaron said, a sly grin on his face as he suddenly jolted to the side, flipping Yuri onto her back, carefully of course, now pinning her wrists down as he towered over her, just as she had previously done to him.

"I think I know what a few of those ways are" Yuri said, a grin of her own creeping onto her face as she puckered her lips wantingly, waiting for Aaron's to meet hers again, Yuri secretly hoping they'd end up doing more than just making out all night. "Just… be quick. We won't have much time before my sister gets home from work"

"Still nervous about showing me to your family?" Aaron asked.

"Love, you're in my room, on my bed, pinning me to the mattress while I'm dressed in an incredibly small, and somewhat see though nightgown. It's not exactly the best of first impressions" Yuri stated, Aaron chuckling nervously at that. "Now, aren't you going to make up for your cruel revenge against your sweet, innocent girlfriend?"

"Yeah. Yeah. Keep your panties on" He said in a dismissive tone. A joke of course, Aaron showing Yuri a small smile to remind her of such as he began to lower himself onto her, their lips growing closer and closer by the second, Yuri cursing the fact that time would not move faster, Aaron seeing fit to make his approach as painfully slow as possible.

Their lips did finally meet again though, Aaron freeing Yuri's arms as he wrapped his own around her waist, gently stroking her back as she wrapped hers around his neck, the two kissing much harder than before. Deeper. More lustful and passionate. Practically sucking on each other.

Their moment was soon ruined however as a loud knock came from the living room, Aaron and Yuri pulling away as they heard the loud pounding echo throughout the apartment.

"Your sister?" Aaron asked somewhat nervously.

"No. She's not supposed to be finished with work for another few minutes or so" Yuri stated, confusion on her face as she wondered who could be at the door, knowing that not many people tended to pay the family any visits. "You wait here. I'll go check" Yuri said as she stood up from the bed, quickly moving into her closet to change into a much more modest nightgown. This one being an actual gown that reached all the way to the floor. Made of clean white cotton. Not see though. Had long sleeves to hide Yuri's arms too. "I'm coming! Patience!" She shouted out into the hall as she changed into her new nightgown, responding to the loud knocking coming from the living room, Yuri huffing in irritation as she walked to the front door of the apartment, only to gasp when she opened it.

"Hehe. H-Hiya, pal" Sayori waved slightly as she stood in the doorway, a nervous smile on her face. "C-Can I come in? Please?" She asked, her tone soft. Low and meek, Yuri backing away in fear, looking downright terrified as she tried to put distance between herself and the girl who had so cruelly bullied her. "H-Hey! Don't… Don't do that. Don't back away. I won't… I'm not gonna hurt you again. I promise" Sayori said as she walked into the apartment, trying to assure Yuri that she wasn't planning on attacking her again.

"S-Stay back!" Yuri shouted suddenly in fear, Sayori assuming that came from her survival instincts, Yuri most likely too scared to properly compose herself. "Just…" She tried her best though, despite the dread she felt. "Just keep your distance" She commanded, Sayori nodding once, doing as told.

Honestly, she understood why Yuri was acting like this. Understood why the poor thing was nearly scared out of her mind at the mere sight of Sayori

As she stated before, Yuri was… sensitive. Delicate. Easy to excite, her having much more trouble controlling the way she felt than other people. Not to mention the fact that Sayori's little… episode in the bathroom obviously traumatized Yuri to some extent, most likely bringing on memories of abuse and bulling she had long since repressed and forgotten, Sayori only recently remembering the fact that Yuri had been the victim of such treatment for… a long while. Long before the two had even met.

It made her feel… shameful, as Sayori herself had been in a similar situation. Maybe even a worse one, due to the fact that her mistreatment started in… kindergarten, of all places. The amount of abuse she suffered… The pain inflicted on her… and all by the hands of children no less. But… Now wasn't the time to tally up victim points.

"I…" Sayori gulped in nervousness. "Can we talk?" She asked. "There's some stuff I need to say to you"

"There's some stuff you need to say to us" Yuri corrected, the fear she felt previously having passed somewhat.

"Us?" Sayori asked in confusion.

"Aaron!" Yuri called out, him coming out from the hallway, his initially surprised look changing to a more serious one as his eyes narrowed, glaring slightly at Sayori.

"Oh look… Y-You're here too. Isn't that funny? And… convenient" Sayori chuckled nervously, the tips of her index fingers pressed together as she gulped again. "I take it you know about… Look, I never… I just… What I was trying to do was…" She scrambled, trying over and over again to make some justification for her actions, all the while, Aaron stood there with that disapproving look on his face. Not the kind he gets over something stupid, like when Sayori does something irritating. No, this was true disappointment. True frustration. True anger, Sayori sighing as she looked down at the ground, unable to handle the intensity of his gaze anymore. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?" She asked.

"That depends" He stated. "Have a seat?" He suggested, Sayori sighing again as she watched Aaron and Yuri sit together on the couch, Sayori then sitting on the armchair beside it.

Aaron and Yuri sat close together, their thighs against each other as Sayori spotted Yuri's arm wrapped around his, the both of them looking at her, expecting her to make some sort of statement or apology. Expecting her to say something. Anything.

As for Sayori, she sat rather ridgedly. Had her legs and thighs close together, uncrossed as her hands rested on her lap, one of them clenched tightly in anxiousness, covered by the other as she breathed deeply, trying to calm and compose herself, Yuri and Aaron still waiting expectantly.

"First, I want to say I'm sorry" Sayori apologized. "I know… I know what I did was wrong. And if I could, I'd go back in time and stop myself. But… back there, I just… I lost control"

"What do you mean 'lost control'?" Aaron asked, leaning forward slightly. "Sayori, what Yuri told me. How she described the way you acted… that's not you, which is why I didn't believe her at first. You're the least violent person I've ever known. You'd never lay a finger on anyone or anything! Not even houseflies! So… why now? And why Yuri?"

"You talk like you know me" Sayori stated in a somewhat bitter tone, Aaron able to feel the venom in her words as she scoffed, her looking off to the side. "The way you speak to me. The way you talk about me. How you describe me, It's like I'm some sort of open book you've read over and over again. Something you can just recite off the top of your head"

"Because I can. I do know you, Sayori. We grew up together. I've spent my entire childhood with you!"

"And you think, based on what you saw when we were idiot kids, you understand exactly how I'm feeling every hour of every day?" She asked, the volume of her voice increasing dramatically, Aaron's glare sharpening at that, Sayori's expression weakening a little at the sight of it, a frown forming on her face. "I'm sorry. That… That just came out. I didn't… I'm having a lot of trouble with my words right now" She stated with a sigh, her head hanging low. "God… Even speaking is hard now. I can't even control the way I talk anymore! Everything just comes out so… passive aggressive! And when it doesn't? It's patronizing and demeaning! That's the only way I can talk now!" She shouted as her hands covered her face, clutching her skull in frustration.

"Sayori… What the hell are you talking about?" Aaron asked, his initial look of irritation changing to a look of concern once he saw how distressed she became.

"I'm sorry. I… I've been… having bouts" She stated, somewhat reluctant to admit, yet feeling no choice but to do so, her guessing now was the time to come clean. To… To let everything out and finally talk about her… feelings. Ugh. She dreaded the very idea of having this conversation. Dreaded it like it was her greatest fear.

"Bouts?" Aaron asked. "Bouts of what?"

"Of anything really. Sadness. Distress. Worry. Nervousness… Anger"

"Yes. We guessed that last part" Yuri quipped bitterly, Aaron turning to face her for a brief second, a small scowl of disapproval on his face, Yuri backing off and silencing herself as soon as she saw that. "A-Apologies" She said as she looked down at the floor.

"No. No, it's alright. I-I think I deserved that" Sayori giggled nervously, wearing an obviously fake smile. "The way I acted. How I attacked you for no reason. I've been looking back on it in my head over and over ever since you left and… I can't believe it actually happened. I can't believe I did that to you. Can't believe I said those things. It was like… it was like watching a stranger do an impression of me!"

"Why though?" Yuri asked as she looked over to Sayori. "Why did you actually do it?"

"I… I was angry. So angry" Sayori stated as she clenched her fists, her mouth open for Yuri and Aaron to see her gritted teeth. "I just… I woke up like that. I woke up with this feeling of pure… anger and hatred. Like I wanted to punch whatever was closest to me! And I didn't even know why! I tried to hide it though. Tried my best to just… force it out of me. To push it away and wear that happy smile like I always do! Like I always pretend to do, anyway"

"Pretend?" Aaron picked up on that.

"I guess… for as hard as I tried, I didn't do a good enough job. Story of my life" Sayori said bitterly, a glare on her face as she crossed her arms. "This whole week has been nothing but one big failure after another! The festival. I… We worked so hard over that! We worked around the clock, physically and mentally, with little to no help from anyone else to make something special! Something we came together for. Something we were proud to be a part of and proud to show off!"

"Sayori…" Yuri called.

"And yeah, it wasn't perfect. It wasn't… good. But it was still something we made! As a team! Something we put our hearts into! All with the intent to wow and amaze! To entertain people and search for other people like us. But…"

"But it was all pointless…" Aaron sighed, finishing Sayori's sentence for her, himself sharing the same outlook.

"Yeah. Pointless" Sayori's glare sharpened. "A waste of time and effort. No one! Not one person came to us after that! Nobody expressed any interest! Nobody was moved by our poems! By our effort! By our work! We were just cheap entertainment. A small distraction. Seeing that… It made me feel really disheartened. Like all of it was worthless… because it was"

"That's not a very good way to look at it, Sayori" Yuri stated. "I mean, at least we had fun, right?"

"You sound like me right now, you know that?" She sighed again. "I'm sorry. I'm… I'm ranting. It's just… What's the point in all of that, you know? What's the point in writing deep, complex poems filed to the brim with meaning and thought, heart and soul, only to have everyone just tilt their heads and look at you, dumbfounded as the drool hangs from their mouth?! What's the point of putting effort in it if nobody's even going to understand it? Why not just put a bunch of random words together! Oh, don't get me wrong, It'd be an awful poem, but at least it'll rhyme! Right?!" She shouted loudly, Yuri and Aaron staring at her in silence, her rant leaving them shocked and stunned. Speechless.

Was that because they couldn't understand anything she said beyond all the ranting and raving… or did they feel the same themselves, resonating too much with Sayori's feelings, to the point where they had no counter argument.

Maybe Aaron couldn't, but Yuri most certainly could relate to Sayori's struggle, herself asking those same questions every once and awhile, more so since the festival, her confidence in her writing bruised slightly.

"But… that's not the reason this all happened" Aaron stated, knowing that Sayori wouldn't have acted the way she did just because she was lacking confidence in her writing.

"No… I just needed to vent. That's been on my chest for awhile. Thanks for letting me get that out though" She said as she picked her head back up, the anger on her face now disappeared, replaced with a neutral expression as she looked straight at Aaron and Yuri, breathing in deeply as she attempted to prepare herself. "Do you remember when you asked me if I was comfortable with you and Yuri dating?"

"You asked her that?" Yuri asked, a shocked look on her face.

"Later" Aaron said dismissively.

"I told you I was okay with it. I said I was happy for you" Sayori recalled. "Well… I lied. No, Aaron. No, I'm not comfortable with you two being together. And no, I don't think I ever will be!" She stated loudly.

"Then why didn't you say something then and there?" Aaron asked, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if angered. But by what, Sayori didn't know. Was he mad at the fact that he'd been lied to? Or was he mad at the fact that Sayori wasn't happy with the idea of him and Yuri being a couple? "Why did you lie to me? Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

"I… I wanted to tell you how I felt. I wanted to tell you to end it right there, right then! But… I saw how happy you were when you talked about her. Even though you tried to hide it, I saw the way you smiled. What was I supposed to do? Tell you to break up with someone who made you smile like that, just because I wasn't comfortable with it?" She asked, her tone shifting from angered to… hurt, like talking about this brought her some form of pain. "I shouldn't have that kind of sway over your affairs, Aaron. I shouldn't have that kind of power over you or anyone else. And then the day after came, and I saw you two reading together in the club room. I heard your little banter too, you know. Your little playful argument. Your idea to… sneak off. It… It sickened me. I tried to hide it as best I could! But it just… got me so angry. And when I saw Yuri alone in the bathroom, I… I just snapped! I lost control and went ballistic! It felt like I was being possessed by some sort of… ghost or something! That… That wasn't me! It was someone else! Something else"

"Seeing us… gets you angry?" Yuri asked, her tone somewhat fearful.

"I don't… I don't know why, but seeing you two together, It gets me so mad for no reason! Ever since the kiss on that… goddamned rooftop! My blood boils like lava at the sight of you two! My head pounds so loud! And all my hands can do is clench into fists! And I don't know why!" Sayori shouted, looking to be on the verge of tears as she clutched her skull tightly, Aaron and Yuri moving from their positions on the couch to stand next to her, as if trying to support her. Make her feel better somehow. "I don't know why! Why?! Why is this happening to me?! Why am I feeling like this?! I don't want to. Deep down… I really want to feel happy for you. For both of you. And I want you to be happy too. But… I just can't control how I feel about this! It's not jealousy! It's not some pettiness! It's like the world just… wants me to hate you! Wants me to hate what you two have! And I can't stop feeling this way, no matter how hard I try!"

"Hey. Hey, take it easy. Try to calm down, okay?" Aaron asked calmly as he gently patted Sayori's back, trying his best to sooth her.

"Yes. You shouldn't put too much strain on yourself" Yuri stated, Sayori looking at the both of them wide eyed, almost in disbelief.

She didn't expect them to act so… kindly towards her, especially after how she acted towards them. She literally just said she wasn't comfortable with them being together! That the idea of them being a couple drove Sayori mad! Enraged her to the point where she physically attacked Yuri over it! Making it even worst for herself when she confessed that she had no idea what was bringing this on, this anger seemingly coming out of nowhere.

Normal people would have been greatly offended and angered at her. At her words. Her opinions. Her actions. But them… it was almost like it didn't happen in their eyes. Instead of confronting her on the issue, shouting and screaming at her over what she'd done, they were at her side, trying to support her. To calm her.

She wondered why. Wondered why they were so kind to her, whereas she had been so cruel. Did they understand more than Sayori originally expected them to? Did they look past her actions once she sat down and explained herself to them? Were they compassionate enough to forgive and forget on their own, without the need for a justification? Were they just being good friends?

Or were they simply lying to Sayori? Faking their expressions of concern and care while they hid their real feelings? If so… Sayori understood. After all, she'd been doing the same for… well, forever. Fitting that she'd have the same treatment thrown back at her.

"Why are you both being so nice to me?" She asked as she looked up at them, seeing nothing but concern and worry in their eyes. "I attacked you in the bathroom for no reason. I told you both that I'd be happier if you broke up! You should hate me right now! You should be cursing me! Telling me to leave and never speak to you again! But instead, you're both at my side, patting me on the back and telling me everything's going to be okay. Why?"

"You're having difficulties controlling your emotions. That's perfectly normal, Sayori. Everyone goes through it" Yuri stated, a small smile on her face as she did so. "Children. Teenagers. Even some adults have trouble controlling and understanding how they feel. I mean, even I have trouble controlling my own emotions. So much so that I-" Yuri cut herself off once she realized what she was talking about. "Well… Let's just say I need help from time to time. Well, I used to need help. Not anymore thought" She stated as she moved to Aaron's side, taking his hand into her own.

"So… So you forgive me?" Sayori asked meekly as she looked up at the two.

"Water under the bridge. A dark chapter closed and passed. One I hope we won't be revisiting any time soon" Yuri said, Sayori smiling brightly after being forgiven.

"Thank you!" She said as she stood to her feet, hugging both Yuri and Aaron at the same time, her arms wrapping around both of them. "I know this isn't going to be the end though. I'm still… I'm still bothered by all this. Bothered by you two being together, and I still don't know why. But I guess, for your sake, I'm going to have to learn to control myself and deal with the fact that you two are a… thing" She added after pulling away, Aaron and Yuri only smiling as they looked at her.

"We only ask for a chance. We really are happy together" Yuri stated.

"You'll get used to it" Aaron said. "And remember what I said. I'm still here for you too, Sayori. Just because me and Yuri are dating, doesn't mean I'm going to abandon you for her"

"I-I know that… now, at least. I just… I just need some time. And a nap. Talking about your feelings is exhausting. Aaron, will you walk me home? Please?" Sayori asked politely, Aaron looking at Yuri for permission, her motioning towards the door with a soft smile on her face, giving him permission to leave.

"Yeah. Come on" He said with a smile as he and Sayori walked out the door, waving goodbye to Yuri as they did so.

She sighed in exhaustion as she closed it, a tired, fatigued look on her face as she leaned against the front door, the entire confrontation leaving Yuri practically drained of all her energy as she laid herself down on the couch, her head on the armrest as she looked up at the eggshell white ceiling.

She didn't know how she should have felt about what just happened. Didn't know how to feel about Sayori's half-hearted attempt at an apology, it more like a justification in Yuri's eyes.

One one hand, she could empathize with Sayori's plight. Could somewhat understand it, due to her own feelings regarding her emotions. Though… to be fair, as difficult as they were to control, Yuri's emotions never made her go feral. Never sent her into a frenzy. A rage in which she attacked someone out of anger alone. And even then, it wasn't as random as Sayori claimed it was. It was meditated. Planned. Sayori waiting patiently until Yuri was alone and defenseless before lashing out and attacking. So no, it wasn't some bizarre, randomly brought on fit of rage. It was something else. Something much different than anything Yuri was capable of.

Honestly, apart from a few instances of social anxiety and nervousness, Yuri's difficulty controlling how she felt never really hurt anyone in the physical sense, well… other than herself, of course.

But Sayori? Sayori took it too far, Yuri only accepting her 'apology' for Aaron's sake, knowing that he'd be torn apart at the idea of his girlfriend and his best friend not getting along. That, and the fact that Sayori was still president of the club, a club Yuri didn't wish to be booted out of over petty reasons, regardless of whether or not someone would stick up for her.

So for the time being, she accepted the apology and did genuinely hope that she and Sayori wouldn't be revisiting this dark chapter any time soon. Still though… Yuri was leery. Cautious. Alert. Now that Sayori's new aggressive tendencies were known to her, she'd be able to avoid them now. Sneak past them. Defuse them. Face them even, as long as she made sure she'd never get cornered like that again.

Her train of thought was then disturbed as she looked down at her stomach, hearing it grumble and growl greedily, Yuri sighing again as she stood up from the couch.

"Hungry…" She said to herself as she made her way to the small kitchenette at the back of the apartment. "I needed to start dinner anyway"

* * *

Natsuki huffed as she laid on her bed, her arms crossed as she looked up at the ceiling above, an irritated look on her face. She had been tossing and turning all night, trying and failing to find a comfortable position to lay on, the bed feeling no different than a large, jagged rock tonight.

Though she laid on the bed, wrapped up in her blanket with her head on the pillow, it was still far too early for sleep, Natsuki's body obviously not ready to call it a day. But… what else could she do other than that?

She was still grounded, now for the unforeseeable future. Only permitted to leave her small, tiny room once his majesty down there deemed it appropriate, which would probably be never. So until her amazing father ends up in a generous, forgiving mood, Natsuki was stuck. Trapped in her room, it serving as a prison housing a dirty criminal, the only thing missing being the cold iron bars.

She sighed as she sunk her head deeper into the pillow, feeling the boredom practically kill her, her room obviously lacking in the entertainment department. Had all of the good stuff stripped out long ago.

She had a television once. A damn good one too! Plasma flat screen! It's in you know who's bedroom now. She had a gaming system too with a majority of it's library in her possession. Where that was now? She had no idea. So essentially, all that was left in Natsuki's room was her bed. Her shelf adorned with the stuffed animals gifted to her during the festival. And her writing desk, which she wasn't planning on using anytime soon.

What was she going to do, write poetry? Well, she'd love to but… inspiration's been running dry as of late, Natsuki often coming up with only a sentence or two before quitting out of frustration, it getting to the point where she decided it was best to put the pen and paper down for a good long while, her waiting to regain her spark.

She sighed again, a little huffier this time, as she sat up from her bed, turning towards her night stand to pick up her cell phone. A boring, old prepaid flip phone from… what? The early two thousands? It serving one purpose and one purpose only, for making calls and texts, it having very little in the way of entertainment and application. Technically, Natsuki wasn't even supposed to use this, it being one of those emergency only kinda things, like if Natsuki got kidnapped or attacked.

As you can imagine, her father wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea of her having it, mainly because he didn't like having to pay for it, Natsuki only getting it after months of begging pathetically, and even then, it wasn't what she originally asked for.

Either way, she had something, her flipping it up and looking through her contacts, only having three numbers stored into the phone. The numbers of her club members, Aaron's being the newest addition, completing the set.

She wondered what he was doing right now. Wondered if he was busy with anything important. Wondered if she should call him. Not for anything serious, of course. Just to say hi. Just to shoot the breeze for a few seconds. Chat. Talk about each others day.

Granted, he probably wouldn't enjoy that as much as Natsuki thought. Boys… well, they aren't exactly fond of that sort of thing, it being most likely that Aaron would find Natsuki as an annoyance were she to pester him now. But… But she didn't care though! Why should she have to worry over whether she was annoying someone or not? She didn't! Shouldn't! She could talk to whoever she wanted about whatever she wanted! And if they didn't like it, well they'd just have to suck it up and deal with it!

Still though… after what Aaron did for her yesterday and earlier today… maybe he earned a few seconds to himself, Natsuki scrolling past his number and going onto somebody else's.

"Hello? Who is this?" The person on the other side of the line asked tiredly, Natsuki able to hear the exhaustion in her voice.

"Hey girl! What's good? How's it goin'?" Natsuki practically shouted into the phone energetically, the woman on the other side of the line sighing after hearing that.

"What do you want, Natsuki?" Yuri asked in an annoyed tone, fatigue and exhaustion obvious in her voice.

"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to call to say hi. See how you were and everything. So… what's up? What'cha doin'?" Natsuki asked curiously as she moved to lay on her chest on the bed, her feet held up in the air like a stereotypical teenage girl as she talked on the phone.

"Making dinner" Yuri stated simply.

"What kinda dinner?"

"Chicken cacciatore" She answered.

"What's that? Chicken cactha… cala… Calamari?" Natsuki asked, unfamiliar with the particular type of food Yuri was making. She understood the chicken part perfectly fine though.

"No. Calamari is squid" Yuri explained after sighing, Natsuki imagining her palm on her face as she shook her head. "Chicken cacciatore is chicken in a red sauce with onions, seasonings, herbs and peppers. I'm also adding a little white wine for flavor" She stated.

"Oh! So it's like a pasta sauce kinda thing? Mmm… Sure sounds good. It's been forever since I've had chicken!" Natsuki said, her mouth hanging open and watering at the thought of such a meal, her stomach growling loudly as a result, Yuri sighing audibly as she most likely rolled her eyes.

"Natsuki, would you like to come over for dinner?" She asked, a sort of annoyed tone in her voice, almost as if she felt obligated to ask such a question, her not actually wanting Natsuki over.

"Oh, I'd absolutely love to! If I wasn't grounded!" Natsuki revealed.

"You are? I'm sorry to hear that" Yuri said nonchalantly, as if the idea of Natsuki being punished was no big surprise.

"I might not be able to see it, but I know you're smiling behind that phone!" She said with a glare. "It's uncalled for, you know. I wasn't thrown in here as some deserved punishment or anything like that! This is all just… bullshit!" She shouted suddenly, anger obvious in her voice. "It's just a bullshit punishment for a bullshit reason by a bullshit jackass I'm forced to call a father! So quit your grinning, alright?!"

"Okay! Okay! Calm yourself. Yes, I was grinning. And yes, it was wrong. I apologize. It was out of place" Yuri said in a polite tone, apologizing for her behavior. "You're having a bad day too huh?" She asked.

"I'm having a bad life" Natsuki responded in irritation. "Do you have any idea how long I've been locked in this room? Ever since I left school. Five hours! I've been trapped in this tiny, claustrophobic room for no reason for five hours straight! Staring at the wall in boredom, all because…"

"All because?"

"Forget it. I don't need to expla… I mean, I'm not comfortable talking about it" Natsuki said with a sigh. "Things just aren't easy for me right now. Okay. Your turn"

"My turn?" Yuri asked in confusion.

"Yeah. Your turn. I explained why I'm in such a bitch mood. Now it's your turn. And don't say you aren't. I can hear it in your voice. So spill. Don't worry. I won't tell anyone"

"I'm fine. Really, I am. I'm just… tired" Yuri stated vaguely, trying to avoid the subject.

"Come on! I know something's up and I know you wanna talk about it. You don't have to tell me the whole thing if you don't want to. But at least get a little of it off your chest. You'll explode and freak out if you don't. That's coming from experience, sweetheart" Natsuki stated. "Let me guess. This has got something to do with lover boy, doesn't it? Little bit of trouble in paradise, huh? That didn't take long" She said, grinning slightly as she heard Yuri scoff.

"Trouble in paradise. You could call it that, I guess. It isn't with Aaron though. It's with… Y-You know what? Never mind!" Yuri said nervously, failing to give Natsuki the answer she wanted, her huffing slightly.

"Fine. You don't wanna tell me, that's your choice. At least I know it's not him that's the problem. I would have kicked his ass for you if it was" She said protectively, Yuri giggling slightly at the idea of Natsuki coming to her defense. "What?! Why are you laughing?! I'd do it, you know!"

"I know you would. Thank you. But no, he's not the problem. If anything, he's trying to fix the problem. It's… It's Sayori"

"Oh boy…" Natsuki said, guessing where this was going.

"She's not very… Not very comfortable with the idea of me… and Aaron… being together"

"Well, can you blame her? She and him have been together for, what? Their whole lives? Not a day goes by where they don't constantly beat us over the head with that fact. Yes! We get it! You're childhood friends! Please stop telling us!" Natsuki ranted, calming down slightly as she continued speaking, getting back on topic. "I mean, think about having somebody like that in your life. Having that kind of connection with someone… And then worrying about whether you'll lose them to someone else, like say… a girlfriend" She stated in a somber tone, Yuri gulping slightly in nervousness. "It'd make anyone a little uncomfortable. Jealous too, I guess. Maybe even downright angry! In her eyes, you're trying to take away a member of her family and keep him all to yourself!"

"But I'm not trying to do that. She knows this. I told her! Aaron told her! We explained this!"

"Come on. You're smarter than this. You know words only get you so far" Natsuki stated. "I mean, if words could fix all our problems, we wouldn't have to fight wars, am I right?"

"That's… not a very well made argument, Natsuki"

"I don't care! It's the argument I'm using!" Natsuki huffed. "Point is, you can say whatever you want to her. It's not going to change anything. She sees you as a threat now. Just like you see her. No way around it"

"A threat? Honestly? That's a little far fetched" Yuri stated, shooting down Natsuki's ridiculous claim… only to then remember how Sayori acted in the bathroom. Remember the way she just switched into attack mode. Turned into a wild animal for just that one split second. And the only reason why an animal attacks is because it perceives a… "H-How… How do I stop this?" Yuri asked, her tone somewhat nervous. Anxious.

"I don't know. I don't even think you can" Natsuki stated. "Like, if this is about her being afraid of losing Aaron, maybe she needs to spend more time around him and stuff. That would kinda destroy the idea of her losing him. So… maybe lay low for awhile? Keep your distance and just let the two sort it out on their own? Just… back off for a little while, you know?"

"Hmm… I think I understand now. Natsuki?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for calling to talk to me. I think I needed that" Yuri said, gratitude in her voice. "You're a good friend" She smiled softly.

"Ye-Yeah. Yeah, I am! One of the best you're ever going to have. That's for sure" Natsuki said pridefully. "He-Hey… before you hang up, can you do a favor for me?"

"Yes, of course. What is it?" Yuri asked.

"Do you think you could maybe… stay on the phone with me a little lon-"

"Natsuki? Are you awake? Who are you talking to?" Yuri heard a voice in the background, it being hard to make out, but from what Yuri heard, it sounded like a grown man.

"Oh shit…" She heard Natsuki whisper.

"Who's that?" Yuri asked in concern, feeling as if something was wrong. "Is everything okay over there?"

"What? Ye-Yeah! Everything's great! I'm just… You know what? Never mind! I got… I got stuff to do. Homework! Yeah, homework! I-I'll call you later!" Natsuki said quietly, lowering her voice as if she were trying to avoid being heard, hanging up before Yuri could say anything, her suddenly feeling very concerned for Natsuki after she so abruptly ended the call, A worrisome look on Yuri's face as she stared at her phone's screen.

* * *

"Well… Here we are. Home sweet home" Sayori stated after opening the door, Aaron at her back as he followed her inside. "Mom! Dad! I'm home!" She announced her return loudly, only to sigh when she entered the living room, seeing it dark. Empty. Curtains closed and lights out, the entire house deathly silent, so much so that you'd be able to hear a pin drop, Sayori sighing at that. "Yeah… I didn't expect anyone to be home anyway" She said as she looked down at the wooden floor beneath her, a disappointed and somewhat saddened look on her face.

"Everything okay?" Aaron asked in concern as he approached Sayori from behind, his hand gently gripping her shoulder in support, her turning around to see him staring into her eyes.

Those eyes have changed so much over the years. Took on so many different forms over so many different occasions, Sayori remembering the times when she and Aaron were small children. Back when his eyes were filled with a childlike sense of wonder and adventure. A sort of fool hearty and naive sense of bravery and courage. They were inspiring back then. Made Sayori feel invincible. Powerful. Like she and him could take on the world and win. Like she and him could go wherever they wanted. Do whatever they wanted, and nobody could tell them no. Then again, they always felt like that back then. They were just kids, after all. And children still act as such regardless.

Sayori could also remember the day Aaron moved out of the house and into his own. Those eyes took a much… fearful turn back then, Aaron's mind overloaded and burdened by the thought of living alone. By the thought of maintaining and caring for a house. By the thought of having to care for himself from now on.

That change… Looking back, it was too early for him. He wasn't ready back then. Wasn't ready to leave. Wasn't ready to take care of himself. Wasn't ready to be alone. But… It wasn't his call to make back then. Certainly wasn't Sayori's or her parents calls either.

And now… Now look at him. Look at those eyes. Solid. Stern. Serious. Focused. A strong determination in them, these no longer being the eyes of a simple boy. No, these eyes matured. Grew. These were the eyes of a man. Indeed, it was fair to say that was what Aaron was now. A man, even if his body didn't look the part at all, it still being scrawny. Small. Puny. Weak.

Still though, it wasn't what was on the outside that Sayori cared about. That's not what she saw when she looked at him.

"Yeah. I'm fine" She said with a small yet obviously forced smile on her face as she gently pushed Aaron's hand away. "I just… I don't know what I expected different" She sighed as she walked deeper into the living room, lazily throwing her blazer onto the hardwood floor, as if she no longer cared for it.

"What do you mean by expected different? What were you expecting?" Aaron asked, a slight look of confusion on his face as he bent down to pick up Sayori's blazer, placing it on the coat rack near the door.

"N-Nothing! Nothing at all! I dunno… It's just, well, Every time I come home from school, the house is always so empty. Always quiet and boring. I just wish this place was a little more… lively. That's all. You know, like it used to be"

"You mean back when I used to live here with you?"

"Yeah… Good times" Sayori said, a small smile on her face as she recalled those days. Days long gone yet fondly remembered, Sayori sighing in contentment as she reminisced. "I remember… Everyday we came home, we'd raid the fridge and make these giant sandwiches that we never finished. You know, the ones that got Mom mad because we were wasting all the food. Then we'd just… laze around all day together. Play video games. Watch TV. Just live. But… we can't do that anymore. Not like we used to" She sighed as she looked at the floor again, her content smile replaced with a small frown.

"Because I moved out?"

"Yeah… Three years. For three years, I've been coming home alone… to an empty house. Me all by myself with nothing to do and nowhere to go. It's been like this for three years… but it feels like you only left yesterday" Sayori stated as she looked up at Aaron. "It's been so long since you left… and I'm still not used to you not being here. This place just feels so… empty without you. And that's because it is. Empty" She said as she looked at the ground, her arms crossed as she shook her head, a bitter, frustrated look on her face.

"What about your parents? They're still around, aren't they?" Aaron asked, Sayori scoffing as she picked her head up, looking directly at Aaron.

"Come on. You used to live here, remember? You know how they act" She stated. "Don't get me wrong. They're my parents. I love them. They love me. They love you too. You're like a son to them. No, you are their son. But… If they had to choose between family bonding time and their private time, what do you think they'd go with?"

"Right… I forgot that they… That… Well…"

"That they're acting like they're still newlyweds on their honeymoon? That their date night is every night? That they're more concerned with their relationship than me? Than us?"

"Hey! That's disingenuous. They love you. So what if they have a little private time every now and then? That doesn't mean your being abandoned or neglected, Sayori! You know that!" Aaron stated, getting slightly offended on Sayori's parents behalf.

"Disingenuous. Did Yuri teach you that word?" Sayori spat venomously, Aaron taking a step back at that, as if retaliating from an attack. "I'm perfectly fine with it being every now and then. But it's not every now and then. It's every night! You know this! You know how they act! They love me, yes! But… But they love each other more. I'm not neglected and I'm not abandoned… But I do feel a little ignored"

"Yeah? Well so do I" Aaron stated, a bitter look on his face as he crossed his arms, Sayori's eyes widening in realization.

"I… I'm sorry. I forgot about that" She apologized, remembering the way Aaron was treated by his own parents, them being practically nonexistent from his life since… well, birth. If anyone deserved to complain about parental neglect and abandonment, it was him. Sayori could rant and rave about whatever she wanted regarding her own family, but at the end of the day… they were still here. She still had them and they still loved her very much. Aaron though, he couldn't say the same. "I really am sorry. I… You're right. I just needed to…"

"Get that off your chest? You already used that excuse" Aaron stated.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did" Sayori sighed, her head hanging low as the bitter look on Aaron's face softened. "I don't wanna fight over this anymore. I'm going to my room. You can stay and hang out if you want. I don't mind" She said as she walked away, going up the stairs and into her bedroom, Aaron sighing as soon as he saw her leave, him pacing back and forth around the living room in anxiousness before deciding to follow her.

He felt a little guilty about that. About comparing his parents to hers. Looking back, It was wrong. While yes, Aaron's parents were much more neglectful and arguably somewhat abusive for abandoning their son, it was most likely nothing compared to what Sayori was facing. Probably wasn't even on the same level.

But… In the heat of the moment, Aaron didn't see that. Didn't understand that. He guessed he was more focused on winning the argument and shutting Sayori down, rather than trying to understand and hear her out, the bitterness he felt towards her from before having a slight sway over his actions.

Maybe Sayori wasn't being outright neglected, but if she felt that way, then she felt that way. No getting around it.

Aaron wondered if that was the root of the problem though. Wondered if that was the reason she acted the way she did. All that frustration and anger she said she felt, did it all come from this? Did it all come from the fact that her parents were ignoring her? Denying her the attention she craved? Or was it something else? Something bigger than that? Was this all just a tiny piece of something much more serious? Was this the catalyst? Or was it just one of the many straws that will eventually end up breaking her back?

"H-Hey…" Aaron greeted nervously as he cracked open the door, his head peeking into the room, only to see Sayori laying on her bed, her head looking at the door, and him expectantly, as if she waited for him to say something. "I uh… I can come in, right?" He asked, a small yet sad smile on Sayori's face as she sat up on her bed.

"Yeah, you can come in" She gave permission, Aaron sighing in relief as he opened the door fully, walking in and sitting down on Sayori's desk chair, him looking around the rather messy room, seeing articles of clothing, shirts, pants and the like strewn about the floor. Saw bags of snacks and empty soda cans laying around. Old toys and stuffed animals from her childhood laying in messy positions atop each other, all thrown into one big pile. "It'd be cleaner if you came around more, you know" Sayori said as she sat on the bed, hugging her knees tightly as she curled up into a little ball, almost as if she was trying to hide herself from something.

"That's because I used to clean it for you" Aaron chuckled, Sayori only sighing as she hugged her legs tighter, trying even harder to hide herself, as if she were embarrassed by the fact that she needed someone else's help to keep her own room, her own private space clean.

"Yeah… You did" Sayori sighed audibly. "I was going to earlier but… what's the point? Just gonna get dirty again, you know?"

"I think the point is to be clean" Aaron jabbed, a playful smile on his face, trying to show Sayori that his remark was all in good fun.

"What are you saying? I'm not clean?" Sayori asked, offended by such an accusation.

"Calm down. You're gonna hurt yourself" Aaron chuckled again as he looked off to the side, seeing the large amount of papers and folders strewn all over Sayori's desk, a majority of them being crumbled up into little balls, Aaron looking under the desk to see the same little balls of paper filling the waste bin, practically overflowing it. "You've been busy" He stated, his tone sounding somewhat impressed at the sheer amount of papers, Aaron assuming most of it to be work related. Connected to the literature club in some way or form. Sayori working overtime on writing a new poem? Or a story perhaps? Or maybe it was just idle practice.

"Busy doing what? Wasting paper?" She asked with a sigh, sounding somewhat disappointed in herself. "Don't bother reading those. They're trash. It's all trash" She glared as Aaron looked at her, confusion visible on his face.

"Having trouble writing?" He asked in concern as he uncrumpled one of the papers, slowly reading aloud one of Sayori's discarded works.

"Don't read that!" She shouted as she jumped to her feet, quickly snatching the paper away from Aaron, practically ripping it out of his hands. "Sorry! Sorry, I just… I threw those away for a reason. I told you. They're trash. Don't read them. You wouldn't… you wouldn't like them" She sighed as she held the snatched paper in her hands, crumbling it up again as she threw it out the window. "It just… It takes awhile for me to write things that are actually… good. And I mess up a little… or a lot" She sighed again. "I'm sorry. I'm just not very comfortable with my writing yet" She said as she sat back down on the bed, looking down at the ground, Aaron standing up from the desk chair and moving to sit at her side, his hand grabbing her gently by the waist, pulling her close to him. "What are you doing?" She asked as she shooed it away, looking at Aaron oddly.

"What does it look like? I'm trying to make you feel better" He stated bluntly. "Look, I don't know what's going on with you, but I can see it's really hurting you, Sayori. You're… You're like a completely different person now. Back then, you used to be all happy and smiley and stuff. Everything was sunshine and rainbows for you. But ever since I joined the club, you've just been getting more and more… gloomy, I guess. Sad. Like you've got some something hovering over you all the time. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong" He urged, Sayori scooting away slightly, trying to put distance between herself and Aaron.

"I… I can't" She stated as she quickly turned her head to the side, looking away from Aaron, him detecting a small hint of panic in her voice, her breath becoming slightly shaky. Uneven. Frantic.

"Why? Let me guess, I just wouldn't understand, right?" He asked, Sayori's gasp of shock proving his prediction of her response correct.

"N-No! It's not that! Really, I just…" She paused after turning to face Aaron, a fearful look on her face as she just… stared at him, her mouth hanging open, her acting no better than a deer in the headlights. Paralyzed. "I… I ju- You have to… I can't…" She struggled to speak, the tone in her voice shifting from defiant and anxious to… meek. Small. Cowardly. Scared. "I…" She paused again in an attempt to breathe, only to end up sniffling and gasping for air rapidly, Sayori suddenly becoming very upset as her hands covered her face, Aaron able to hear her sobbing behind them. "I can't do it anymore!" She cried loudly, practically breaking down into tears, Aaron shocked to see such a reaction from Sayori. Shocked to see her so suddenly break down over a simple question.

"A-Are you crying? What's the matter? Why are you so upset?" He asked in concern, his voice shifting to a much more gentler tone.

"I can't do this anymore! I just… I try! I try really hard, you know! I try to force it down! I try to hide it! I try to just… fool myself into thinking I'm alright! And for the most part, it actually works. But when it comes back… The pain… I can't take it anymore!" She sobbed, collapsing onto Aaron, wrapping her arms around his torso and gripping tight. Gripping as if she were about to be ripped away. "Everything just hurts… so much"

"For the love of god, will you snap out of it?! You're not making sense!" Aaron shouted as he pulled Sayori off him, gripping her shoulders tightly as he shook her, her coming out of whatever trance or state she'd been sent into, gasping at her previous actions as she looked around the room, like she had suddenly forgotten where she was and who she was talking to, her quickly removing herself from Aaron, going so far as to walk all the way to the other side of the room in an attempt to build as much distance as possible.

"I… I'm sorry! That just… I… I lost control there for a second, but I'm back now! Well… mostly" She said as she caught a tear from under her eyes, sighing in frustration as she looked at the finger she used to wipe it away. "More crying… As if we don't have enough of that" She scoffed, suddenly taking on a bitter tone. Venomous even. "It feels like every other second, someone's crying their eyes out. Turning on the waterworks and spewing out their woe is me story for no reason. How long? How long are we going to have to sit here and watch them cry like little girls?!" She ranted in frustration.

"Well… they are little girls" Aaron stated, knowing who Sayori was talking about. "Well, not exactly little, but… They are poets too. Kinda emotional by default, you know?"

"It's pathetic"

"It's emotions, Sayori! Chemicals in our brains! Responses to stimuli. They can't control it! And by the looks of it, neither can you" Aaron said, Sayori sighing as her palm met her head, her shaking it slowly. "What was that?" Aaron asked. "What happened to you just then? Why did you just… explode and start crying?!"

"Explode? I didn't explode! Me?! Come on!" She denied immediately, Aaron's glare showing her that he was unconvinced. "It's… It's none of your business! Drop it! Now!" She tried the aggressive route after it was made obvious that denial wouldn't work, Aaron still unwavering, Sayori sighing at that. "I-I can't tell you. It's… woman stuff. You're not supposed to know about it" Now she was just outright lying.

"Bull. Shit" Aaron called out, seeing right through every move Sayori tried to pull, him knowing her and how she acted better than anyone. All those little things she's tried had been done before. Used against Aaron before. They worked back then, but not anymore. "The truth, Sayori. Please" He said as he stared her down, his expression softening slightly. Growing more gentle and sympathetic. His voice more calm and collected as Sayori sighed.

"Can see through all my tricks now, huh? You're too smart, you know that?" She said with an empty smile. A forced expression. "I knew this would have to come out eventually. I tried to hide it for as long as I could. Thought I could just cover it up and nobody would be any wiser. I… I was an idiot to think I could do it. Still am"

"You're stalling" Aaron pressed.

"Yeah… Yeah, I know I am. I'm just… this has always been my biggest fear. My worst nightmare finally coming true. This" She sighed, preparing herself. "I'm… I'm depressed" She stated, her reveal somewhat lackluster. Had no enthusiasm. No emotion. Just deadpanned. "And before you shake your head at me and roll your eyes, no. Not that kind of depression. Not the whole _'Oh, I'm just having a bad day, but I'll feel better tomorrow!'_ kind of depression. It's… the other one. The kind you're supposed to see doctors for. The one that makes you… think differently" She stated somberly.

"So you're… depressed?" Aaron asked, his tone sounding somewhat… unimpressed. Disappointed actually, as if he expected more. Was he still unconvinced? Still believing Sayori to be lying even though she was telling the truth? Or did he just not understand the seriousness of her condition.

"Let me guess. You're going to ask me what I have to be depressed about, right? You're going to ask me why I feel so sad and angry, even though I've been blessed with a nice house, clean clothes, 'loving' parents and a fridge full of food. I live the good life! A happy life! What reason do I have for being depressed?! Well, I wish I had the answer to that question. Because it's a question I've been asking myself for years! I just don't know! I don't know! Do you understand me?! I don't know!" Sayori shouted in frustration, Aaron able to see tears forming under her eyes as she continued her emotional rant. "I don't know why it happens or how to stop it! It just… comes and goes at random! One moment, I'm perfectly fine. Happy even! And the next… I just curl into a ball and start crying in the corner over… just the stupidest things!"

"H-How bad?" Aaron asked, his tone quiet and calm, compared to Sayori's shouting, her rant now showing him the seriousness of her condition.

"I've had thoughts. Thoughts of… You know" Sayori stated, fearful to say the word. Fearful to even think of it "Even had a dream about it once. Or… at least I think it was a dream. But I swear, it felt so real"

"You've had thoughts of… Suicide? Of killing yourself?" Aaron asked, his tone sounding practically mortified at the idea of Sayori taking her own life. "Why? Why would you think like that?" She could hear the hurt in his voice. The pain inside it. The thought of losing his best friend since childhood hurting him much harder than any punch, Sayori starting to tear up as she saw the hurt expression on his face. Saw the pain. Pain that she inflicted just by admitting this. Just by coming out and finally telling him. By doing so, she hurt him.

"I… I'm sorry!" She cried as she clung to Aaron, wrapping herself around his torso as she brought her head into his chest, her tears staining his shirt. "God, I'm so selfish! I… I never should have told you about this! I never should have let you see me like this! I shouldn't have let my guard down and let myself break down in front of you! I should have just kept everything in! Under control like I always do! Now look at what I've done! I've hurt you. I… You think less of me now. You think I'm weak! You think that I'm pathetic, don't you? Don't you?!" She shouted as she continued crying.

"Think less of you? No! I'd never…"

"How can you not? I just told you that I want to kill myself for no reason! Isn't that the very definition of weakness?! Of being pathetic?!"

"H-Hey, it's not for no reason!"

"Yes it is! You just said it yourself! All these things. These emotions. They're just chemicals in my brain! Responses to stimuli! I'm supposed to feel this way, aren't I?! Is this natural for me?! To be so sad and angry all the time?! To be so… hateful? To be so… sorrowful? Is this just the way my brain's supposed to work?"

"No! No, it's not! This is… This is something different, Sayori" Aaron said firmly as he removed her from his chest, gripping her shoulders tightly and forcing her to look at him, her seeing the serious look on his face. "Something just… happened to you. But don't worry! We can fix it! We can make you feel better again!" He stated, a sure smile on his face, practically reeking of confidence, Aaron looking as if he was in control of everything. As if he knew exactly what was best, Sayori only glaring at him for this, offended by the expression. Offended by Aaron's use of the word fix, as if Sayori were broken somehow.

She… She knew he was just trying to help and everything but, whatever Aaron was thinking of, that wasn't the answer. Wasn't the solution, as if there even was one to this. Well, there actually was, or so Sayori thought but… He'd never agree, especially after the way she acted earlier.

"No. You can't fix this. You can't fix this because there's nothing to fix. Nothing's happened to me. I'm… normal. Or at least, this is my definition of normal. I've always felt like this. I've always acted like this. This is every day for me" Sayori stated, A grim look coming to Aaron's face as she said that. "I've been like this since I was a little girl, Aaron. This has been going on for every day of every month of every years of my life. For as long as I can remember. I'm sorry I don't have a rational explanation for all this. I'm sorry I don't have a valid justification. This is just how I feel"

"N-No! You're wrong! I… I lived with you for over fifteen years, Sayori! We grew up together! I've never seen you act like this!" Aaron stated firmly, Sayori simply smiling as she shook her head.

"That's the thing. It never… It never gets that bad when you're around. I can't explain it, but being near you, it just seems to make the pain go away. Everything just feels better. Cleaner. Easier" She stated, an actual, honest to god smile coming to her face as she began recalling fond memories from her childhood. "The rain clouds don't pour down so hard when you're around. I guess… I guess that's where all my recent clinginess has been coming from. If you wanted a reason as to why. Well, there you go. I just don't wanna lose you. Because without you, there's nothing to stop the pain" She said with a sigh as she looked at the floor beneath her again, avoiding Aaron's eyes. "I already told you that I had thoughts of suicide before, right? Did you know that you're the reason I never went though with it though? I just closed my eyes and… imagined"

"Imagined what?" Aaron asked.

"Imagined what would happen after I left… After I died. I imagined you coming into my room and… finding my body. I imagined the way you'd cry and mourn over me. I imagined the grief and sadness I'd be bringing onto you and suddenly… I didn't want to go through with it anymore. You put the fear of dying back into me. Only… it's not a fear of dying…"

"It's a fear of… me finding out what you've done" Aaron stated, Sayori responding with only a single nod. "You still haven't told me why. Why do you think this is best for you? Why do you think killing yourself is the answer?"

"I don't! I-I just want everything to stop! I want the pain to stop, Aaron! I want the hurt and the sadness within me to go away! I want the anger and hate gone! I just… I just want to go to sleep and never wake up!" Sayori said, tears forming in her eyes again as she started sniffling and sobbing, another crying fit coming on. "I just… I can't… Hold me!" She shouted desperately as she latched herself onto Aaron again, him wrapping his arms around her as she did so, his hand gently trailing up and down her back in an attempt to soothe her, Aaron now being much more sympathetic to Sayori, now that he knew how bad it's gotten for her. "Just… Hold me, please. Just until I calm down. You… You always help me calm down, even if you don't know it. Just hold me. Don't let go" She begged as she tightened her grip on him.

"Wouldn't dream of it" He said softly as he held her close. Held her tight, Sayori's face buried in his shirt, her crying soon replaced by deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself. "You should have told me sooner, though. I could have helped you, Sayori" Aaron stated.

"I know… I… I was scared" Sayori admitted. "Scared of what you'd think of me once you found out. Scared that you'd end up treating me differently. Scared of being seen as some… thing that you needed to waste all your time taking care of. I still am scared. Besides, did you really need me forcing all my problems on you? Everyone else is doing it. Do I really need to add on to that?"

"Wait, what?" Aaron asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"The others… They forced their baggage on you, didn't they? Yuri. Natsuki. They've got their own problems and they're forcing you into them"

"How do you-?"

"I can see it in your face. You just look so… exhausted. Emotionally and physically. Besides, you told me this. In the club room after you talked about that… thing with Yuri. How she doesn't like being pitied anymore than Natsuki" Sayori stated, seeing the surprised look on Aaron's face. "So, you've been playing therapist for the rest of the club, huh? Just sitting there while they rant on and on about their problems, me included?"

"Well, I didn't intend for it to end up like that, but yeah. I guess you could say I've been playing therapist" Aaron chuckled nervously. "I just thought… maybe if they had someone to talk to, they'd feel better. Worked so well for you, didn't it?"

"Yeah…" Sayori sighed as she gripped Aaron tighter, the two just standing there, in the middle of the bedroom. Just…. holding each other until Sayori felt better.

"Do your parents know?" Aaron asked, breaking the silence before it could set in.

"Even if they did, what would they do?" Sayori asked as she finally pulled away. She didn't look any better than she already was though, Aaron's embrace most likely having no effect on her. "All they'd do is dump me in front of some quack doctor on their way to their dinner date! They'd just put me in front of some random stranger and let him poke and prod at my brain like a damned science experiment!" She shouted angrily, breathing deeply in an attempt to calm down after she saw that she was getting fired up again. "No… It's better if they don't get involved. They'd only end up making things worst. Then again… if they bothered to spend a little more time with me, things might get better" She sighed. "Can we move on from this? Talk about something else? I'm not… comfortable with this subject anymore"

"Um… Sure, I guess. But I'm a little worried about you now" Aaron stated as he looked at Sayori, seeing her move to lean against the wall with her arms crossed, a frustrated expression on her face.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine… I'm always fine. Still, nice to know you still care, even after all that's happened"

"Of course I still care. You're my sister" Aaron stated firmly, reaffirming the fact that, even though the two were on rocky ground right now, Sayori was still family to him. "Hey, I think I know what will make you feel better. You need a little distraction" He suggested, a smile coming onto his face as he thought of a way to cheer Sayori up.

"A distraction?" She asked.

"Yeah. Something to take your mind off all this depressing stuff. And I know the perfect distraction" Aaron explained as he walked over to Sayori's desk, picking up her notebook and shuffling through it till he found a blank page, pulling out a recently sharpened pencil soon after. "How about you and me write together? It can be anything. A poem or a story. We can write whatever you want. And if you get frustrated or can't think of anything, I'll help you!" He said as he sat down at the desk, intrigue on Sayori's face as she stood beside the chair, watching Aaron as he hunched over the notebook.

"I don't know about this. I-I'm not very good at writing, Aaron. And if you need evidence of that, just look around" She said, referring to all the crumpled and torn papers littering the room, all of them being rejected and discarded pieces of her work.

"Well, that's what I'm here for. I'll be your co-author!" Aaron said with a smile. "Just um… give me an idea! A premise! Set the stage and we'll start tossing ideas back and forth. Just write down whatever comes to mind. It'll be great, I promise! So, you got any ideas?"

"Well… there is this one story that I always wanted to write, but every time I try, nothing happens. I just end up wasting more paper"

"Lay it on me. Let's hear it" Aaron said enthusiastically as he hunched against the desk, ready to help Sayori with her work, him listening to nearly every word she spoke about her idea, the possibilities already swimming in Aaron's head as he started writing, setting the base before passing the pencil to Sayori, the two working together to write her story, Aaron hoping this would be more than enough to make her feel better.


	11. Reunion

"There. That should be it. What do you think?" Aaron asked as he sat hunched over the desk, looking over his shoulder to see Sayori at his side, her looking down at the notebook resting on said desk. "It's not bad, is it?"

"It's… It's perfect!" Sayori said happily, a bright smile on her face as she held the notebook in her hands, Sayori able to turn the pages and read her own story at her heart's content, as if it were actually written down in a real book. "It's exactly how I imagined it'd be. It's amazing! You're amazing! Thank you so much!" She shouted in gratitude as she hugged Aaron, her arms tightly wrapping around his torso, squeezing him, Aaron chuckling slightly as he hugged back.

"Well, you're welcome. It was fun writing with you. We should do it again" He stated as he pulled away from Sayori, seeing that bright, beaming smile. That look of pure happiness on her face, as if all her worries and troubles just vanished, Aaron growing a smile of his own as he saw that. It was almost just as bright as Sayori's, him just being happy that she was happy. Happy that after seeing days worth of hurt, pain, sadness, suffering and discomfort from his friends, he was now able to see at least one of them smile genuinely, even if only for a little while.

His smile soon faded after realizing that. If only for a little while…

This… This wasn't a guaranteed fix. This wasn't the end all be all solution to what Sayori was facing. Wasn't the miracle cure she needed to get back to her old self. This was just a… temporary delayer to the problem. A little piece of tape to cover the leak. A distraction. A diversion, just as Aaron initially stated.

He couldn't bring himself to smile anymore after that realization. After realizing that his efforts to cheer his friend up and make her feel better were… pointless. If anything, this realization only led him to frown as he hung his head in failure. Sure. She's happy now. She's smiling now. But… what about later? What about an hour from now? Two hours from now? A day? A week? Would that smile be able to stay there for that long? Would she be satisfied for all that time?

No. Obviously not. Eventually, that smile on her face, the happy feeling she feels now… it will all just fade away in time, Sayori going right back where she left off… in a miserable, sad, depressed state.

So… how is Aaron going to fix this? How is he going to be able to make this better? To make her better? How is he going to be able to rid his best friend, his sister, of these terrible feelings brewing and festering within her? Did he even have the power to do so? I mean… Aaron wasn't a doctor. Wasn't a psychologist, psychiatrist or… whatever you're supposed to see for something like this. So what did he know about fixing Sayori? What did he know about being able to make her feel better in the long run? What did he know about healing her? About curing her?

He scoffed at his own use of those words. Healing… Curing… As if there was something wrong with her. As if she was abnormal. Different. Not right. But… she was, wasn't she? I mean, people with depression. They're… not normal, right? They're not right in their heads. There's something wrong with them and that something needs to be cured… or at least Aaron assumed.

But… according to Sayori, she's been this way for as long as she can remember. And based off of what Aaron always saw of her, she only recently started behaving so abnormally. So… was the depression really to blame for how she was acting? Was it a factor? Maybe so, but most likely not the cause itself.

"Hey… What's wrong? Why do you look so sad?" Sayori asked as she brought her hand to Aaron's chin, raising it slightly to look at her. "Is everything okay?" She asked again, Aaron sighing as he shook himself out of whatever trance he found himself in, quickly coming back to reality as he replaced his frown with a smile.

"Um… Yeah! I'm fine! I just… I had a bad thought. That's all" He stated, trying his best to keep a cheerful and happy look on his face, so much so that it hurt a little, Aaron wondering how Sayori was able to fake her emotions like this so flawlessly, whereas he can't even fake a simple smile.

"A bad thought? About what?"

"It's nothing. Nothing at all. I already forgot about it" Aaron said dismissively, waving his hand to the side, as if swatting the thought away, Sayori still unconvinced as her head tilted back slightly in reaction to Aaron's odd behavior. "So, what do you wanna do next?" He asked, eager to move on from the current subject. "We could make some popcorn and watch TV. Maybe some old movies? Or if you want, we could play some video games. Or do you wanna do some more writing?"

"Actually, I'm pretty tired and it's getting really late" Sayori stated as she pointed out to the window, paying particular attention to the pitch black darkness outside, the few and far between streetlights along the sidewalks being the only things illuminating the path. "I think I'm gonna turn in" Sayori said, a small yawn escaping her as she did so, Aaron feeling one escape him as well.

"Yeah… I guess we lost track of time. I should be heading home. Unless… you need something from me?" He asked, just to be sure Sayori was okay.

"No. No, I should be fine for now. You can go home if you want" She stated as she walked over to the door, fiddling with the locks before opening it, Aaron sighing almost hesitantly as he walked toward the door, as if he didn't really want to leave.

He… He felt like it was the wrong move to make. Leaving Sayori to herself. Alone. Left with only the thoughts in her head as company. Thoughts that Aaron saw as… dangerous. Dangerous to Sayori. To her health. To her well being. To her… To her life.

Aaron was worried, as all good friends should be. He was worried and scared. Scared to leave Sayori alone. To take his eyes off her for even a second, only to find her dead… hanging by a rope attached to the ceiling.

A shiver of dread ran down his spine as he imagined such a gruesome image. Imagined such a wicked and awful scenario. Yet oddly… he couldn't seem to shake an odd feeling of déjà vu as he pictured such a horrible thing, as if he'd seen it before from… somewhere. Somewhere he couldn't place. Maybe somewhere he didn't even want to place.

"Are you gonna say something or just stand there? Come on, man! I'm letting all the cold air in!" Sayori said, her voice bringing Aaron out of his thoughts again.

"Oh! Sorry, I just… I was just thinking about something" He chuckled nervously as he walked towards the door. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, concern visible on his face, Sayori simply smiling as she rolled her eyes.

"It's sweet of you to worry about me. Thank you" She said as she pulled Aaron into another hug, this one being much more tighter. Felt more… clingy then the last one. Had less gratitude and more desperation in it, that somewhat unnerving Aaron as he reluctantly hugged back, his concern not even close to being alleviated. "Don't worry. I'll be fine, I promise" Sayori whispered quietly in Aaron's ear, doing her best to reassure him. "I'm okay. You're okay. We're all okay and we're all happy. Everything will be alright" She stated.

" **I'm okay… You're okay… We're all okay… And we're all happy. Everything will be alright"** Aaron repeated, his voice sounding oddly monotoned. Almost like a zombie, A slightly shocked look on his face as he pulled away from Sayori, bringing his hands to his lips soon after, as if to check whether he was still in control of them.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" Sayori asked, a genuine look of worry on her face. "Your face just went white! Like you saw a ghost or something! You okay?"

"Ye-Yeah. I just… Did I say that?" He asked, a look of pure confusion on his face.

"Yeah. Yeah, you did. You repeated what I said to you. Kinda weirdly too. You sounded kinda like a robot. Like some kinda mindless machine" Sayori giggled nervously, a long and awkward moment of silence coming soon after she finished speaking, Sayori and Aaron both just… standing their nervously, waiting for the other to do… something. "You're probably just tired. You should go home. Get some rest. You'll feel better tomorrow morning" Sayori said reassuringly, breaking the silence as she gently patted Aaron's shoulder.

"Um… Yeah. You're right. I'm just tired. It's uh… It's been a long day" Aaron stated as he walked trough the door, now outside Sayori's house. "You're absolutely sure everything's okay?" He asked again, just to be safe.

"You worry too much" Sayori stated as she rolled her eyes again, this time in a slight annoyance. "Listen… I know I kinda just exploded a second there. But I'm better now. I'm more than better. I'm happy… for now, at least"

"Yeah. For now. But what about later? What about tomorrow or the day after?" Aaron asked as he stood outside Sayori's house, a worried look on his face.

"People like me… We can't afford to worry about tomorrow or the day after. The best thing is to just… focus on now. Go one day at a time, you know?" Sayori said, a small smile on her face. "I know that's not a great way to deal with the problem in your eyes. But for me, it's just fine. I'll deal with tomorrow when tomorrow comes. For now… I just wanna enjoy what I have before it goes away"

"I'm just worried for you" Aaron stated bluntly.

"I know you are. And thank you for showing concern. You're a good friend, Aaron. The best actually" Sayori said as she exited from the door frame, coming outside to Aaron, hiding her hands behind her back as she looked up at him, an odd twinkle in her eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked somewhat nervously, Sayori only responding with a giggle as she practically leaped onto him, Aaron jumping back slightly in shock as he felt Sayori wrap her arms around him again, only to then feel her lips on his cheek, kissing it gently before pulling away, a shocked and surprised look on Aaron's face as his cheeks turned a shade redder, Sayori giggling at his reaction as she removed herself.

"The look on your face! It's like you've never been kissed before! But… we both know that's not true" She grinned almost devilishly, giggling again after seeing Aaron pout. "Oh, calm down. It's a peck on the cheek. There's no harm in it" She stated. "Now, you go home. Get lots of sleep and I'll see you tomorrow. And remember, no matter what happens… everything will turn out okay in the end. I promise" She said with a smile as she walked back into her home, shutting the door before Aaron could say anything, his jaw now left hanging open as he stared at the front door to Sayori's house, him only able to sigh as his head hung low, his hands going into his pockets as he turned around and walked away, making his way back home through the dark suburban neighborhood.

"Why do I feel like she was lying to me?" He asked himself.

* * *

Sayori sighed in contentment after shutting the front door, soon walking back into the living room and making herself comfortable on the couch, the notebook which had Sayori and Aaron's story written on it in her hand, her smiling as her eyes went back and forth between the pages. Left and right constantly as she carefully read each word on each page, examining it like a critic examines art, searching for any and all forms of mistakes, her smile only growing wider when she found none.

It was a genuine smile. A true smile. One that she had not had in years. It was nothing like those fake masks she wore to fool others. Nothing like her false smiles of phony happiness. No. This… This was real. A real smile! Real happiness! And it was all because of this one notebook in her hands. This tiny collection of pages. This story. Her story.

Did anyone have any idea how important this was to her? For what felt like months, she had tried and failed so many times to write this story down on paper. To bring the little thoughts and ideas. The characters and sets out of her mind and into the real world. Onto paper!

It was so hard. So incredibly difficult. So painstaking and aggravating was the amount of effort she'd put into trying to make her vision a reality, only to grunt in frustration as she tore apart the paper, her frustration forcing her to scrap her work before it even got started. It was so hard for her to sit down and write even one paragraph of this… But it wasn't hard for Aaron. It was easy for him. Effortless. Like it wasn't even real work to him, Sayori somewhat jealous of his ability to write so well with little to no difficulty, unlike her.

The way he just hunched over her desk, pencil in hand, writing down everything. Every detail Sayori had told him about her vision, only for him to perfectly, one hundred percent understand what to do, him bringing her story to life with little to no time at all.

He truly does have talent. But she… She doesn't. It was obvious at this point. Written on the wall for all to see. Sayori… she'd never be able to do something like this. Could never even dream of it, what with her skill the way it was. Nonexistent. As in, she had no skill, this being especially obvious when compared to the other members of the club, the quality of their writing far exceeding her own. Far surpassing it, actually. Blowing it out of the water so effortlessly.

It made Sayori wonder. Made her wonder why she, the least talented in the whole club, was the leader of it in the first place. Made her wonder why she was given such an honorary title and role. Such a position of power. A position of authority when there were others who were far better suited for the role. Much more worthy than she. Was it because she was the founder? Because she was here first? Because she set the groundwork for everyone else?

If so, that wasn't fair. Wasn't fair for anyone else in the club. Wasn't fair for Natsuki. Wasn't fair for Yuri. And it wasn't fair for Aaron especially.

They were all so much more talented than Sayori, each of them being exceptional at their craft in their own unique way. In their own unique style. Why then, should they all be forced under Sayori's thumb? Forced under the authority of someone so… below them? So inferior to them? So… pathetic, compared to them?

Yes. Pathetic. That's what she was… That's all she ever was…

I mean, writing is supposed to be easy right? Like, it's words on paper. How hard could it be? All you have to do is just sit down and let your mind drift. Let it wander. Let it come up with all these new and fascinating thoughts and ideas, while you just sit there and write it down. Do this for a minute or so, and you could create… well, anything.

You could create the biggest, brightest, most beautiful world anyone's ever seen, fill it to the brim with interesting plots and scenes, populated by a huge cast of diverse and unique characters. Send them on their little adventures, whether they be exploring modern life or fighting back against a great evil or injustice. And all of this can be achieved with literally nothing but a piece of paper, a pencil and some time alone. Anyone in the club was able to do this. Literally anyone. Aaron could do it. Natsuki could do it. So could Yuri.

Hell, Yuri could probably crank out a full set of novels in less than a few hours or so. Meanwhile, Sayori could barely write a single paragraph. What does that say to people? What does that imply? What does that mean when the president of a literature club can barely write literature?!

It means that she's a fraud! A fake! A masquerade! A liar…

Maybe that's why nobody joined the club. Maybe the reason it was so desolate and empty was because everyone could see through Sayori's lies. See through her bullshit. That's why the club is such a miserable failure. Why it's in such disastrous disarray. Because of its oh so glorious leader. Its pathetic excuse for one.

"That's why its failing… Because of me…" She said as she picked her head up from the notebook, no longer gazing at her story.

She scoffed at that. Her story. Yeah right! If anything, it was Aaron's story! Not hers! It was him who wrote it! Him who hunched himself over her desk! He was the one who worked hard over it! Slaved away to try his best to make her little fantasy a reality! It was his words on that page! Not hers! It was his hand that wrote them down! Not hers! It was his blood, sweat and tears that went into it! He worked on it!

And what did Sayori do? What did she contribute? Nothing! All she did was look over Aaron's shoulder and bark orders at him, telling him to do it like this and that! Stifling his creativity just so she can have her little story! Her little narrative! Her no better than a tyrannical dictator lording themselves over the innocent populous!

She grit her teeth as she looked down at the notebook in her hands, a surge of sudden anger and disgust towards herself overtaking her as she held up the notebook, staring at the page, her frustration only building as it practically taunted her. This simple book's existence now the very testament to her lack of skill. Her inability to create. Her failure to do her job.

It enraged her. Practically set her veins on fire, boiling her blood as her face went red, her unable to deal with the fact that this simple collection of words on paper revealed to the world that she was a fraud. That she was nothing more than an imitator. A pretender. A faker, her rage growing out of hand and out of control as her hand suddenly gripped the pages tightly, them crumpling and wrinkling under her grip before she furiously ripped them out, her lost in a fit of anger, so blind by rage, unable to understand what she was doing as she proceeded to practically shred the pages into tiny pieces.

It was only after the sudden wave of anger passed that she realized what she'd done, gasping in shock at her actions as she saw the pieces scattered about the floor.

"No… No!" She shouted in panic as she fell to her knees, picking up the small sheds one by one and gathering them in her hand, her now feeling immense guilt for destroying the story Aaron had worked so hard to write for her, and all over such an idiotic reason.

Why did she destroy it? Because it made her feel bad about herself? Because it showed her that she was nothing more than a talentless hack? Because it shined the truth on a lie so well crafted, that it even fooled the one who told it? Because it called her out on her inability to create. Her inability to justify her position as leader. Because it showed her that no matter how hard she tried… she can't do anything unique, creative or original.

It showed her that she can't do… anything. It showed her that she was worthless. That she was pathetic. Weak.

And now here she was… a weak, worthless loser. An unoriginal, brain dead nobody, kneeling over ripped pieces of paper, Sayori sighing as she brought her hands to her face and shaking her head. "What the hell is wrong with me?" She asked, her voice nothing more than a pained whisper as she began sobbing, the rain clouds from before now coming back to shower Sayori in their negativity, a wave of sadness now washing over her in the wake of her outburst. There were no tears this time though. No crying or weeping, Sayori most likely having run out of tears to cry after her… previous episode, her body exhausted of tears as she continued to kneel in front of the ripped bits of paper.

"I… I can fix it!" She said, her tone growing somewhat hopeful as she continued gathering the shreds. "I just need a little tape, some staples and… No! I can rewrite it! It'll be easy! I just need to… I just… I… I'm pathetic" She sighed as her head hung low in despair, her arms falling to her sides as the bits of paper she collected fell out of her hands, scattering back onto the floor as Sayori continued to kneel down. "Why? Why did I do this?" She asked herself in a pained whisper. She knew why though.

It was because the story proved to her that she was talentless. That she was inept. Too stupid to create anything on her own. Too dull and mundane. Too bland and boring. Not original or creative enough, so much so that she needed a ghost writer of all things to do her work for her.

And how did she respond to these facts? How did she handle herself when she was proven to be so worthless? What was her first reaction? Violence. Anger. Hate. Rage. Her taking it out on an innocent collection of paper. A simple notebook, only to then feel the horrible guilt when she came to. When the violence passed. When the rage and anger dissipated.

Just like how she felt after she attacked Yuri.

Sayori sighed in sadness as that memory popped into her head again, her trying her hardest to will it away. To force it down. To banish it from her mind so she'd never relive the memory again.

Sadly, her attempts to forget about it failed. Her conscience… It just wouldn't let her forget. It just wouldn't stop beating her over the head with it. Just wouldn't stop hammering home the fact that what Sayori did was wrong. Awful. Immoral, her foolishly thinking this gut wrenching guilt that built in the pit of her stomach would finally go away. Would finally leave her to get on with her pathetic existence already! But no… it was still there. Still eating away at her. Still making her feel awful, regardless of the fact that she apologized.

Apologized… More like failed to justify, in all honesty. That's what it felt like… because that was what it was. A justification. It was no apology. No real, true apology. It was a piss poor justification for a crime! For an assault! For intimidating and strong arming an innocent person! A defenseless one at that! But more so, a friend.

Yuri and Sayori… they were supposed to be friends. Not necessarily close, but not distant either, their relationship sort of being in the middle. Yet… it wasn't anymore. She knew Yuri didn't truly accept her apology. She knew Yuri was only going along with it. Just smiling and nodding her head as she heard Sayori's pathetic justifications for her vile actions.

How Sayori knew this though… she couldn't explain. She didn't read anything from Yuri's face. Didn't see anything in the way she moved or heard anything in the way she spoke, Yuri so skillfully hiding her true feelings, so much so that Sayori was somewhat impressed.

It was just… A voice. A voice in the back of her head. A voice that sounded a lot like her own. An old enemy of Sayori's, actually. The little voice in the back of her mind that made her feel so… worthless. So pathetic. So weak. A voice that only did nothing but put Sayori down. Spread negativity. Self hatred. Anger. Sadness.

This voice that tormented Sayori for so long. This side of herself that just… hated her so much, told her the truth. Told her the real way Yuri felt about her 'apology.' Told her what Yuri's real thoughts and opinions were. They weren't good. Weren't forgiving. Weren't… weren't what Sayori was expecting.

She wondered why Yuri kept these thoughts to herself, rather than voicing her opinion to Sayori. Wondered why she simply smiled and went along with it, rather than stating how she really felt. Was it because of Aaron? Did she only apologize for his sake? Did she only apologize because she didn't want her boyfriend to think she and his best friend would never get along if they didn't?

Was it for the good of the club? Did Yuri decide to sweep it all under the rug in order to maintain her professionalism? Thinking that holding a grudge against the president would end up getting her kicked out? Understandable, but Sayori would never do that, regardless of how she felt about Yuri personally. It went against her principles. Was it fear? Was Yuri… afraid of Sayori? Intimidated by her? Fearful of what would happen to her should she refuse the apology? Did she fear that refusing it would bring about more bullying? Another scene in the girls bathroom? Another attack? Maybe… That must have been it, especially after the way Sayori attacked her.

To an onlooker, it was no better than a simple shove. A smash against a wall. A push that may have been a little too hard. But for the attacker and the attacked, the intentions were quite clear. It was more than just an attack. Or at least… At least it was going to be before Sayori restrained herself.

When Yuri's back hit the wall and Sayori heard her scream in pain… something clicked inside her. A switch flipped. A dial of some kind turned. Something happened to her. Something awful.

She couldn't explain it, but hearing the sound of Yuri in pain felt… Good. Strangely satisfying. Relieving. It felt… It felt good to hurt her. It felt good to put her hands on her so forcefully. To throw her around like a piece of meat! To show that little bitch her place! To let that little slut know exactly who was in control! To let her know who was the boss! Who was the one making the rules! Who was the master!

And who was the slave… The servant… The underhand… The inferior.

It felt so good to see her face twist in fear. Felt so good to see her so scared. So afraid. So powerless. So defenseless. And when the tears started falling, it made Sayori feel so empowered! So strong! Made her feel near untouchable!

And than she saw the after effects of her actions… Came down from her power trip and realized that what she did was wrong. Realized that was not the way things should have happened. Realized that she was no better than the very people she had been tortured by for so many years. Realized that she had become a bully. Or more so… a sadist. A person who enjoyed hurting others. Got some sort of sick pleasure out of it. Some sort of high, if only for that one second.

She was so glad she was able to pull herself back before she did… more.

More. Sayori wanted to do more. So much more. She wanted to do more than simply push Yuri against a wall. She wanted to… She wanted to kick her! She wanted to punch her! She wanted to give her a black eye! Cut her open with something sharp! She wanted to grip her hands around her neck and choke the life out of her! _**C̶̱̆̈h̵̯͘o̶̥̳̽͊k̴̮̳͌e̷͇͚̋̚ ̸̗͆̀h̴͔̞͂͠é̵̡̧̐r̶̦̾ ̷̩͑j̴̬̅u̴̮̔s̵̱͑ț̶͕̀ ̴̭͐l̸̹̤̀̔ĭ̸̙̈́k̴͇̀̍ê̶̥̎ ̸̙̎̀s̷̛̜h̵̫͈͌̊e̷͖̻͛̓'̴̻̽̃ḓ̶͚̎͗ ̵̤̲̕b̵̻͊͘e̷̗̅͝e̷̫̚ň̵̗̺ ̷̟͆c̵̻͍̈́͒h̵͍̺̎o̸̘̼̾k̵̥̓e̶͇̠͒d̷̪̙͘ ̷͚̗̀̂b̷̧̧̎͠ę̸̙̿̐f̷̡̻̑ǫ̴̌͌r̷̻̂͝ͅe̵̬̎͘!**_ She wanted… She wanted to kill her. To kill Yuri for… no reason.

No. No, there was a reason. A very awful, very selfish reason.

She was jealous of Yuri. Envious even, feeling threatened and intimidated by her intelligence. By her literacy. By the fact that she would be ten times the president Sayori could ever be! And lets not forget the fact that she was more… well endowed than Sayori. Much better looking. More womanly and less… girlish. That's what Sayori was. Just a little girl. A cute kid. But Yuri? Yuri was a beautiful woman. Outclassed Sayori in almost everything. It was only natural for someone as inferior as her to feel intimidated and scared when in the presence of someone far superior. She was Venus and Sayori was… She wasn't even on the same spectrum. Wasn't in the same league.

She was always jealous of Yuri. Always envious, even long before Aaron joined the club, Sayori often comparing herself to Yuri many times. What happened and how Sayori felt wasn't spur of the moment. It was building up for a long time, like a volcano, laying dormant and storing power before suddenly coming back to life, erupting furiously.

But it was after Aaron joined that things escalated to where they were now. She… She saw the way he acted around her. The interest Aaron showed towards her and the interest she showed back, going so far as to the very first second he entered the club. He… He never looked at Sayori the way he looked at Yuri. Never did it no matter how badly Sayori hoped he would have.

But Sayori had finally been set off when they kissed during the festival. It just… it broke her. It practically destroyed her. And it also made her realize how much she cared for Aaron…

Made her realize how important he was to her. How needed he was in her life. How much… How much she wanted him. Needed him. And there Yuri was… stealing him away before Sayori even had a chance to do anything. Stealing him and keeping him all to herself like some sort of selfish whore! Sealing the deal and locking Aaron out of ever being in any sort of relationship with Sayori, save for the brother-sister one they were in now!

All this just… boiled over. Built up and up until Sayori had no choice but to explode! But to just let it all out! Her rage and anger overshadowing her completely and taking over, so much so that she even thought of murdering the poor girl!

She was glad she was able to pull herself out of it when she did, the thought of murdering Yuri taking it too far, Sayori looking back on such a thought with fear. It alone bringing her to tears as she imagined it. Imagined herself one day overcome with rage and anger again. Walking right up to Yuri and just… stabbing her. Cutting her. Bludgeoning her. Choking her… Ridding her of her precious life for no reason at all. Killing an innocent soul because she was jealous. Angry. Aggravated. Irritated. Desperate.

It terrified Sayori. Terrified her to no end. The idea of her having the power to take Yuri's life… The idea of her turning into a… a murderer.

 _I don't exactly see why that's a bad thing though. After all, the freak has it coming. Deserves it. The way she flaunts herself. The way she just walks around acting like she's the smartest one in the room. The most dignified. The most cultured and refined. The most collected and sane. When in reality, she's a bigger freak than any of us could ever be! A bigger freak than Aaron. A bigger freak than Natsuki. A bigger freak than even you! And you're the one hearing voices in your head and seeing hallucinations of hung corpses!_

"Oh no…" Sayori said in panic as she heard the voice in the back of her mind. The voice from before. The one that forced that awful thought into her mind. The one that made her do it! The one that made her hurt Yuri! The one that… The one that wanted her to kill her.

The very same voice that always shouted at Sayori! The one that always put her down and forced her to hate herself so much. The side of her that just… hated her so vehemently. Here it was again to put its cruel, hateful words and toxic thoughts into Sayori's head, her trying her hardest to shut it out. To keep it away as she forced herself to think of something else.

 _I don't even understand why you feel guilty for wanting to kill her. As if that little bitch was actually worth feeling guilty over! You would have been doing this world a favor, you know! I mean, you're a freak too, but at least you don't need to use your mental health as leverage for sex! "Fuck me hard or I'll go back to cutting myself!" And you're was supposed to feel guilty for wanting to stop that?! Please!_

"Wait… What?" Sayori asked in confusion as she picked herself up off the floor, a look of complete disbelief on her face as she heard those twisted, cruel thoughts echo in her mind. "She… She cuts herself? How… How do I know that?" She asked to herself, her tone fearful. "What the fuck is going on with me?!" She asked, panic in her voice.

 _It's fucking disgusting and pathetic! The way she holds Aaron hostage like that! The way she threatens him with that self harm bullshit! Making him do what she wants, simply because he's too naive to know when he's being used!_

"No! No, you're lying! You… You have to be lying!" Sayori shouted out loud, arguing with her own mind. "Yuri… She'd never… Why would she?"

 _Why? As if she needs a reason. You want an answer? Fine, I'll give you one! It's because she's a disgusting degenerate! A filthy, disgusting degenerate whore who's so desperate for attention that she'd hold someone hostage and force them to deal with her fucked up head! Because she's a sick freak!_

"No, she's not! Sh-She's my friend!" Sayori stated, a rebellious tone in her voice, her trying her hardest to defy the thoughts floating around in her own mind. The awful, dehumanizing thoughts, their toxic words serving no other purpose than to poison Sayori. To force her to do something she could never bring herself to or forgive herself for, her mind suddenly going homicidal against Yuri, Sayori trying her hardest to keep her head in check. To try and regain control. To fight back and re-enforce her dominance.

She couldn't understand why this was happening. Why her mind had turned so violent. So homicidal. So murderous and bloodthirsty. It was just impossible for Sayori to comprehend! Just like… Just like her depression.

Just like how she struggled to find a reason as to why she was so sad and angry all the time. Struggled to find the cause of the problem. Struggled to find the solution… And struggled to confide in others, Sayori having no idea why she functioned the way she did, herself often feeling like a spectator in her own body most of the time. An onlooker. A prisoner, watching helplessly as her body and mind acted out beyond her control, her powerless to do anything.

It was almost like… Like she had no real control over herself at all. Like all her actions had already been predetermined for her. Her every move calculated and planned on her behalf. Her every word written down like lines on a script, herself merely an actor playing a role.

Was… Was this true? Was she just some actor forced to read lines? Was that… Was that why she was so ignorant to the way she acted? Because she wasn't in control of her actions in the first place? Was this what caused her to want Yuri dead? Was this why she even thought about killing her in the first place? Because… Because someone placed that thought in her head? Made her think that way? Forced such a thing over her?

Is that why she's so powerless to stop herself from thinking such things? Because the one who's making her act this way wills it? But… Who is this person? An average everyday student like herself? No… Was it God? The Devil? Or something else? Something worst? Whatever it was, Sayori wasn't going to take it anymore! She… She was done being manipulated by forces she couldn't comprehend! Done being held by strings she couldn't see! Done being barked orders at by something she couldn't hear!

She won't! She won't be this sick and evil force's slave anymore! She won't let it control her! She won't allow herself to bend the knee and submit! Wasn't going to just play with the hand she'd been dealt!

She could see it all so clearly now, the revelation opening her eyes! Finally allowing her to see the truth! And for so long… she blamed herself for the way she turned out. The way she acted. It wasn't her fault that she was depressed. It wasn't her fault that she was suicidal. It wasn't her fault that she was possessive. Clingy. Selfish. Stubborn. Angry. Hateful. Murderous…

It was… It was the force's fault! God or… whoever it was! It was all their fault! They put these ideas into her head! They made her commit these actions! They made her act this way! They made her shout these volatile and toxic words! They were the one who turned her against her friends! Against Aaron and Yuri! They were the reason why Sayori couldn't be happy!

And she didn't want it anymore! She wanted out of their control! She wanted her freedom! She wanted the ability to think for herself! Speak her own mind! Act out of her own intent! She wanted freedom and she wanted it now!

"I won't… I won't let you control me anymore! Whoever you are! Whatever you are! Go away! L-Leave me alone!" She shouted loudly as she looked above, thinking herself to be staring down whatever force or will held sway over her. Whatever entity or being held her leash. Her strings. All the while, the voice in her mind only grew more and more defiant. More and more angry, no doubt in Sayori's mind that it was the force trying to double down on it's hold over her. Trying to weaken her in an attempt to prevent her escape.

 _Wow. Look at how insane you've become! You're actually shouting at your own ceiling! What a freak! Then again… only insane people think about murdering their friends over something as stupid and useless as a boy._

"You… You shut your mouth! Aaron is not stupid! He's not useless! He's… He's my best friend! My brother! He's-"

 _A good for nothing, worthless, perverted neet who leeches off the hard workings of parents that didn't even want him! A pathetic excuse for a man! A weak, unconfident, little boy that's desperate for sex, yet is near incapable of creating a relationship with a woman to get it! So much so, that he resorted to taking on a mental case and pity fucking her on his couch!_

"I… I… Shut up!" Sayori shouted angrily, rage obvious in her voice. "You're wrong! He's none of those things!" She denied heavily. "You're just trying to put words in my head! Control my brain! Make me hate him just as much as you made me hate Yuri!"

 _Did you know he never actually wanted to join the club?_

"Wha… What?"

 _Of course you didn't. You're so dense. He only ended up staying because of Yuri and Natsuki, you know. His thoughts exactly being "This club… is full of incredibly cute girls!" The little freak was a pervert who just used you and 'your' club as a place to find himself a fuck buddy!_

"No… No, you're wrong!"

 _And what a fuck buddy he found! The perfect one actually. A mentally damaged, edgy loner who's so anti-social and awkward, that's she'd just end up taking and sticking with whatever she got! A pathetic, submissive and dependent little thing. Docile and obedient. Unable to fight back against him. Unable to force her will on anything or anyone. Well… when she's not desperately horny, that is._

"I… I don't want to hear this anymore! It's wrong for me to think this way! I just… I'll just stop thinking about it! I… I need to go outside! Get some fresh air! Ju-Just be somewhere else…"

 _And to think… You're jealous of that. Jealous of something so… pathetic and weak. So much so that it drives you to murder!_

"I'm not listening! I'm not listening!" Sayori shouted loudly, trying her best to drown out the force.

 _It'd feel so good to do it. To just… grip your hands around that little slut's neck! To grip and squeeze as you watch her face turn blue! As you watch the life fade from her eyes as she struggles to breathe! As you hear her desperate gasps for air! As you watch her lifeless body drop and spread on the floor…_

 _You know you want to. You know it'd feel so good to give that freak exactly what she deserves! You say you don't wanna do it, but I know how you really feel. After all… I'm you. I'm your brain. Your mind. I know you better than anyone! Because I am you! A side of you that you push back! That you try to hide from both yourself and everyone around you! But at the end of the day… it's not some mysterious force that's forcing you to think this way. It's all me! All you!_

 _ **"I SAID SHUT UP!"**_ Sayori screamed as loud as she could, shaking her head violently before pounding her fists into it! Trying to use force to silence the voice within, her anger and rage too strong to hold back as she wrestled against her own brain. **_"GET OUT! LEAVE ME ALONE!"_**

 _That's so cute! Go ahead! Keep hurting yourself, Idiot! Keep trying to deny how you really feel all you want! Try to force me away! Try to shut me up! But deep down, you and I are and always will be one to one on this. You want her dead! And you know exactly why! Because she's a disgusting freak! A miserable degenerate! I don't see why it matters. People like her… Hmm… People. Person. Can that term really be applied to her anymore? Anyway, things like her… It's perfectly reasonable and acceptable to kill them. People do it all the time!_

 _After all… isn't she just some game character?_

"Wait… what?" Sayori asked in complete shock and confusion as she heard the voice make such an accusation.

Just trying to process such a thing… It… It started to make her head hurt, a skull fracturing headache soon overcoming Sayori, causing her to groan and grunt in unrivaled pain as her hands clutched her skull.

"Oh god… Not again!" She shouted in pain as she felt the headache worsen, a feeling of immense nausea soon following, Sayori feeling like the entire room was spinning as her vision suddenly became blurry, everything turning fuzzy and disorienting as color slowly began to vanish from the world! Sayori starting to screech in agony as the headache worsened even further, the nausea making her feel sick to her stomach, ready to barf and puke as a loud, piercing static rang in her ears, so loud that it practically drowned out everything else, save for the voice still screaming at her within her own head, snarling like a rabid dog.

"Please! Please, dear God! No more! Just make it stop!" She begged loudly as the pain brought her to tears, her pleading, praying for the pain and suffering she felt within her mind to just vanish. To just vanish and leave her alone. No more pain, she cried out to whoever could hear her! No more suffering, she begged whichever power would show mercy! Her prayers falling on deaf ears as the very last thought that… horrible, horrible voice threw into her head kept echoing over and over! Kept bouncing around in her skull, getting louder and louder as her pain grew even worse, Sayori forced to hear it repeated over and over like some… sick mantra! Some disgusting, dehumanizing affirmation, Sayori trying with nearly all her strength to stop it! To stop this vile mantra from repeating!

But… Why was it repeating, she wondered? Could it be that this vile, awful manta was… true? Sayori she… she struggled to even grasp the very concept of it. Struggled to try and find the logic. To try and see the truth in it. But why though? Why did she want to? Why didn't she just dismiss and disregard such a thing as false? Why didn't she just automatically brand it all as crazy talk? Why did she actually try to believe it? Was it…? Was that the reality? Was that the actual truth? That Yuri was… a game character? But that would mean…

"No! No-no-no-no-no-no-no! It's not real! It's not true! You're lying! You have to be lying!" The sound of her voice… It was… It was broken. Broken beyond repair. So hoarse. So tired. So worn and overused. "I-I'm real! I'm alive! I'm a living, breathing human being! A human with my own thoughts! My own opinions! I eat! I drink! I sleep! I dream! I bleed! I… I love… I hate… I smile… I cry… How am I not human?! Answer me! How?!" The way she screamed… The fear. The suffering. The hurt. The pain. It was all you could hear. It was the voice of someone who was breaking, in the mental sense. The voice of someone pushed so far past their point. The voice of someone who's been through too much. Suffered too much. A mind so warped and fractured. So abused and beaten… that it just couldn't go on anymore. She couldn't go on anymore.

Everything was just… Everything was just so painful for her now. It was the only feeling she could understand at this point.

"PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, MAKE IT STOP!" She screamed with whatever strength she had left. So much so, that were her voice in its normal state, the windows might have broke. "Just make it stop… Please… Please…" She begged pathetically, her vocal cords now finally destroyed from all the shouting and screaming, leaving Sayori with a voice no louder than that of a whisper. A small, weak, sad whisper, her gasping as she heard it, her hand brought gently to her throat as she fell to her knees once more, her back hunching as she just… sat there. Sat there on her knees, her hands on her lap as she hung her head down low, tears falling from her eyes.

She just sat there… Didn't even bother to move. Didn't even bother to look around the nauseating, blurred, colorless world she now found herself in. She just sat there. Broken. Mute. Crippled. Defeated. In pain… all of it coming from nothing more than a voice in her head. Her own mind destroying her so easily.

 _What a weakling…_

The voice added insult to injury, Sayori's eyes looking up for a second as she swore she heard the voice… differently.

It… It wasn't in her mind this time. It came from in front of her, Sayori looking back down to see a shadow cast over her. The figure who owned that voice, the voice that brought so much pain and sadness… it was facing her. It was looking down. Casting its shadow over her, Sayori raising her head up to look… Only to see it again.

The corpse… The one from before… The dream… The hung corpse of herself, choked to death and suspended from simple braided rope, looking down at her. Looking down at her with those cold, lifeless eyes.

She reached out to touch it, taking one of its hands with bloody fingertips into her own, gripping by the wrist as she brought it to her cheek, the cold touch practically freezing the sensitive skin as a paralyzing shiver ran down Sayori's body.

"Why?" She asked meekly, just the mere sound of what was left of her voice enough to force even the coldest, cruelest person in the world to feel pity for her. "Why are you doing this? Why the pain? Why the hurt? If you really are me… then why are you making me suffer? Why are you doing this to me? What do you want from me?!"

 _I want to wake you up…_

"Wha… What?" Sayori asked, a look of pure confusion on her face as she stared up at the dangling corpse, her jaw slacked and her mouth hung open as she stared wide eyed in pure bewilderment. "I-I don't understand… Please tell me what you mea-" Her sentence was suddenly interrupted as she felt the ground tremor slightly, Sayori nearly losing her balance as the vibration rocked the entire house. "What… What was that?" She asked worriedly, the tremor returning soon after, the house rocking much more heavily this time. Longer too. So much so that things started falling from the shelves. Picture frames fell off the walls, shattering the glass as the tremors turned into full on earthquakes, Sayori gasping as the vibrations forced her to fall to the floor, the house now rumbling and quaking, Sayori trying to get back on her feet, only to then notice the floorboards begin to break! Shattering and splintering apart as cracks started forming on the living room walls! Little bits of plaster and drywall falling out as the glass of the windows started rupturing! Shattering loudly as the roof above stated caving in! Sayori's bed from her room upstairs falling through the ceiling and into the kitchen!

"What's happening?!" Sayori shouted fearfully as she faced the corpse, the beam from which its noose held remaining intact. "Please! Answer me!" Sayori shouted again, the corpse now going silent as the house was continually assaulted by earthquakes, the floor finally caving in, shattering literally under Sayori's feet as she fell.

She expected to end up falling into the basement of her house. But… that didn't seem to be the case. Instead, she just fell… Kept on falling and falling for who knew how long. Never stopping. It was a slow fall. A gentle sink. Kinda soothing actually. Tranquil, Sayori sighing as an odd sensation of peace overcame her. Some random wave of relaxation.

It was most certainly a welcome change to the pain and chaos she experienced not even seconds ago, Sayori slowly closing her eyes as she continued her slow fall, feeling sleep creep up on her as she descended.

She wondered if it was safe to fall asleep while she was falling like this. For all she knew, she was falling to her death! Yet oddly, she didn't feel fearful of it. Didn't feel panicked or scared in the slightest. In fact, it was quite the contrary. Sayori actually felt rather safe. Protected. Secured. As if she were in a maximum security vault, any and all dangers unable to touch her as she continued falling.

Falling through the very world itself and into some sort of… void. Some empty, colorless abyss as Sayori's eyes closed on their own accord, her soon falling asleep.

* * *

You have unlocked a special poem.

Would you like to read it?

YES NO

* * *

 **Transcribe Of Audio Surveillance Of Dr. Lucas Volkert And Dr. Adam Marx: #5209. Date Recorded: [REDACTED] – [REDACTED] – 2003.**

 **Log begins…**

 _"Lucas, what the hell is going on?!"_

 ** _"_ I don't know! Some sort of error with the sim. A forced destabilization? But how? Everything's been reset!"**

 _"It doesn't matter how it happened. What matters is fixing it before the subject regains consciousness! I want it back under right now!"_

 ** _"_ I'm trying my best! Maybe if you actually got off your ass and assisted me, rather than barking orders, we'd have the situation under control by now!"**

(Subject starts shuffling as it awakens) "What's… What's happening?"

 ** _"_ Oh shit…"**

 _"It's… It's okay! Don't panic. Keep your voice low and quiet. Calm and collected. No sudden moves"_

"Who are you?"

 ** _"_ It's… It's okay, sweetheart. Everything's going to be fine. I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I'm just gonna-"**

 _"What the hell are you doing?! Don't talk to it! You remember the last idiot that tried to have a conversation with these… things! You wanna end up like him?!"_

 ** _"_ She's still heavily sedated. Her eyes aren't even open yet and she's tied down to the catalyst. Besides, you know this is one of the more passive subjects. She's fine"**

 _"Not she. It! Remember that! If I have to correct your mistake one more time-"_

 ** _"_ Right. It. Sorry. I just… It's hard"**

 _"I know. It's hard for me too, but we've been on the project long enough to understand the difference. I expect you to know this already."_

 ** _"_ I do. I just…" **(Dr. Volkert sighs audibly) **"Again, it's hard. You can claim whatever you want about these… things. But they still look human to me"**

 _"Then you obviously need to get your eyes checked"_ (Dr. Marx scoffs)

"What are you doing to me?" (Subject's breathing begins to become abnormal. Shows signs of distress. Intervals increase. Starts hyperventilating as heartbeat monitor beeps rapidly)

 _"Lucas?!"_

 ** _"_ I know! Just… give me a minute to think!"**

 _"Stop thinking! Start doing!"_

 ** _"_ I am! Uh… Anesthetics! Where are the anesthetics!"**

"What's happening? I'm scared!" (Subject starts to become agitated. Struggles against restraints. Begins crying)

 _ **"** Here they are! Hurry before-"_

"I wanna go home!" (Subject starts sobbing fearfully) "I WANT TO GO HOME!" (Subject starts screaming loudly. Doctors cover ears in pain. Glasses start shattering as light bulbs start sparking and exploding. Heartbeat monitor shorts out due to dangerously fast intervals and rapidly fluctuating electricity)

 ** _"_ Shit! The eye's open!**"

 _"Don't look at it!"_

"LET ME GO!"

 _"Just shut it up already!"_

 ** _"_ Almost… There!" **(Subject gasps loudly as needle is injected into neck, screaming eventually dies down. Subject starts gasping and breathing heavily as sedative begins to run its course. Doctors sigh audibly in relief)

 ** _"_ There. Crisis averted"**

 _"For now anyway…"_

 ** _"_ Yeah. We should be more careful going into further testing. The subjects have started becoming more aggressive as of late. This one was supposed to be the most passive out of all of them, but just now, sh- It gave us more trouble than any of the other ones"**

 _"They don't pay us enough for this shit…"_

 ** _"_ Um…. We don't get paid, Adam"**

 _"Exactly! We're trapped in this stuffy basement of a laboratory on an island in the middle of nowhere. Nearly dying every day because of these… freaks! And what do we have to show for it? Nothing! Zero! Zilch!"_

 ** _"_ Adam?"**

 _"It's all about the vision, he says. That's all the old fool ever says! That's all he cares about! Him and his stupid, made up bullshit! And what about us, huh?! What about his 'loyal disciples' putting their lives in danger every day! Dealing with his sideshow of abominations while he sits in that comfy mansion in _, worshiping his fake, made up god! The greater good… The key to forging our new society. Bullshit! My ass is the key to forging our new society! I don't give a shit over whatever religious mumbo jumbo the old man slings at us! I can't take this anymore!"_

 ** _"_ Adam? Snap out of it! You okay, man?"**

 _"I'm sorry. I just… Look at what we're doing. Look at all this. Look at this… horror. I can't… I won't be part of it anymore. The things we've done… The lives we've ruined… No more! I want out!"_

 ** _"_ Whoa! Whoa! Wait? Out? Are you insane?! There is no out. This stuff… You really think they're just gonna let us walk away after all we've done? After all we've seen? Look, I don't like the work or the cause any more than you do. I'm a man of science, dammit! But… We're in too deep to just quit. You know that"**

 _"I know. I know. It's just… it's not right… It's just not right… The things we're doing. The monstrosity we've created. The suffering we're inflicting on these… children. These innocent people"_

 ** _"_ These aren't people… Not anymore at least. You know this! This is the same stuff you hammer on my head all day! You should be saying this to me!"**

 _"I know that! I just… The way it screamed just then. It got to me a little. It wasn't angry or enraged like the other ones. It was… scared. Afraid. You heard what it said, didn't you? It just wanted to go home"_

 ** _"_ It doesn't have a home! Not anymore…"**

 _"It did have a home. It had a lot of things once. Things we took away. It had a home. It had a life. A family. A mother and father who loved it! And we… we took that away. We took all it ever knew. All it ever had and just… disregarded that as we poked and prodded it with our little needles. Cut it open with our little scalpels. It was so small back then. So… tiny when the experiment first started"_ (Dr. Marx starts sniffling. Possibly crying) _"A toddler. We did all of this to a fucking toddler! A defenseless little girl. If anything… We're the real monsters. These things? They're just our victims"_

 ** _"_ I…"**

 _"I'm sick of this place. Sick of being trapped in this stuffy, cramped lab on a deserted island! Sick of partaking in these… sick, disgusting experiments! I want off! I want to go home! I want to wear normal clothes again! I want to be a part of actual society again. I want… I want to go home and see my wife again… And meet my son. The son I was forced to abandon for this insane cult!"_

(Dr. Volkert sighs) **"You're right. I don't want to be a part of this either…"**

 _"So we're in this together then?"_

 ** _"_ Yeah. I'm done with this. It's time for us to leave. But… how? There's no way off the island!"**

 _"I built a boat"_

 ** _"_ You built a boat?"**

 _"What? Just cause I'm a man of science doesn't mean I can't chop a few trees down and make some dingy raft out of 'em. I mean, yeah. It's not the most stable… but it floats! I snuck out a few cases of dried foods. A case or two of water. Could survive for a good seven weeks if we both ration"_

 ** _"_ Even if we got back to the mainland, what do we do then? Live among society like everything's normal? They'll know we left! They'll find us! How do we stop that? Go to the media and tell our story?"**

 _"Not gonna work. The old man's got eyes and ears everywhere. We go to anyone with this, and the only place our names are gonna end up on is some hit list. We'll need to be careful_ "

 ** _"_ We're so dead…"**

 _"Are you chickening out on me?"_

 ** _"_ No! No, I'm not! I'm just… worried. What do we do with the subjects, by the way? Kill them? I don't even think they can actually die anymore"**

" _We lock them in their containment units, break the doors so they can't be opened and keep them trapped in the simulation! There. Crisis averted. The automated systems and life support can do the rest"_

 ** _"_ I… I guess that could work. I could reprogram the simulation to keep generating new, random events instead of running the testing protocols. That'd keep them busy, at least. Maybe… Maybe I could try and have it emulate everyday life too. We could give these girls back the lives we took from them! At least in some way…"**

 _"I don't care what you do with them. I just want out of this nightmare as quickly as possible. By any means necessary"_

 ** _"_ So do I. Come on, help me get the subject back into its cell. Then we can get ready to leave. We're getting our lives back!"**

 **Log ends…**

* * *

Sayori groaned weakly as she awoke from her sleep, her eyes struggling to open, seemingly sealed shut as her body refused to move, her laying on what felt like a floor as she tried to force her body to comply to her. To awaken along with her.

She was eventually able to make her body obey her again, her arms and legs waking up as she stood to her feet. It was difficult though. She couldn't explain it, but she suddenly felt so… weak. So sore and tender. It was almost as if her body was recovering from massive amounts of physical stress. She felt so woozy. Queasy and off balance, like the entire world around her was spinning around and around at incredibly fast speeds.

As she stood to her feet, trying to keep herself from falling, her eyes slowly began to open, blurry and unfocused as Sayori rubbed them, only to gasp in shock at what she saw. Nothing. Literally nothing. A sea of blackness being the only thing in her sight. An empty, dark, colorless void. An abyss of pure nothingness stretching for as far as Sayori's eyes could see.

She wondered if, by some chance, she had simply gone blind, still in the real world, yet unable to see it. But that thought was proven wrong the moment she looked down at her body, able to see it all perfectly. See her torso, her legs and arms. Even see a few small strands of stray hair in her peripheral view.

What happened? What was this place? And how did Sayori even find herself here? Was this some sort of odd dream? Some place her mind had conjured for her? Some sort of sanctuary built by her brain while her body slept, unconscious on the floor back home? Unlikely. This didn't… Well, it didn't feel like a dream. It all felt real. Very real, Sayori testing it by raising her hands, clenching one into a tight fist before bringing it down on her other hand's wrist, punching as hard as possible.

"Ouch!" You can imagine what the result was…

Okay. So it's not a dream, else Sayori would have woke herself up just then. This was something else.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" She asked as she looked around the dark void, hearing her own words echo and vibrate throughout the black abyss, Sayori sighing as she heard no reply. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something. A white dot of sorts off to her right.

It was brief. Very brief. Only lasted for a second before disappearing, yet that one second was all Sayori needed to confirm that it was real. It didn't matter what it was. It was something! A small, hopeful smile on Sayori's face as she dashed in its direction, running as fast as her legs could move, determined to find the white dot and identify what it was!

As she kept running through the void, her heavy breathing echoing back at her, the white dot finally came back into view, Sayori running even faster than before as she saw it again, chasing it eagerly, seeing it get bigger and bigger, closer and closer with every step. She got so close to it, that she was able to see it for what it really was. A bow! A big, white ribbon bow attached to something. A figure of some sort. A person! An actual person!

"Hey! You!" She called out loudly to the figure as she ran towards them, getting close enough to make out the person's features. A woman, it looked like. She had her back turned to Sayori, as if she was looking out at the void, her hands behind her back, Sayori able to see the white bow holding up her milk chocolate ponytail as she continued sprinting towards her. "Hey! Over here!" She shouted as she ran faster than ever before, feeling a desperate need to meet this woman! To talk to her! To find out who she was! She stopped dead in her tracks as she felt a sudden pain come over her though, Sayori gasping and yelping loudly as her head was assaulted by aches again. Painful pulses just like before, her sudden nauseous feeling returning as her eyes were assaulted by flashing. Her ears deafened by static just like before, it being ten times stronger than ever.

"Not… Not again! No! Please, not again!" She shouted loudly as she clutched her head tightly, trying hard to shake off the pain. Trying to ignore it and push on! Push on to the woman who still seemed so far away, despite the distance Sayori ran!

This woman, whoever she was, felt so… familiar, Sayori practically overcome by her very presence. By the fact that the two of them shared a space. She was just compelled to be closer to her, almost as if she were being beckoned. Summoned. Called, Sayori forcing herself ever onward, forcing herself to ignore the pain as she continued approaching the woman, now at a much slower pace, her body suddenly becoming very heavy. Burdening. Like her bones were made of solid concrete! Her barely able to move them! All the while, her mind was still being assaulted by head splitting pulses. Aches of pure pain. Seizure inducing flashes and ear rupturing static, all of which Sayori was unable to ignore anymore, the woman in front of her finally noticing her struggle, hearing her gasp, yelp and scream in pain, the woman turning around and gasping herself as she saw Sayori behind her.

Sayori however, could not see her face. Couldn't make out any of her features, the constant flashing getting in the way. As Sayori was forced to experience it over and over, She… She could have sworn that in that rapid surge of blinding white lights, she saw a shadow.

Not… Not the woman's shadow. It belonged to someone else. Another figure. A figure facing her down, Sayori watching as it started… moving! Walking around like a normal person! Hearing it speak! It's voice incredibly muffled, Sayori unable to make out anything it was saying as it continued to walk and talk.

" _ **Sa-Sayori?! Oh god, Sayori! Are… Are you okay?! What's happening?! Why are you here?!"**_ She could barely hear the woman's voice through the ear raping static, unable to focus on it. Unable to even understand it, the static completely overshadowing the woman's voice. **_"Please! Tell me what's going on! You need to… Oh no… Oh dear god, no!"_** Sayori could hear the woman gasp of shock, her tone dominated by fear, as if her worst nightmare had been made reality, Sayori only able to respond with yelps of pain and suffering, her unable to form words as the flashes only grew brighter, making the shadowy figure within them stronger and stronger.

" _ **Please, Sayori! You don't know the mistake you're making! Whatever's happening to you, you need to stop! Now!"**_ The woman shouted in panic, Sayori somewhat able to hear her oddly familiar voice. Yet, she was unable to act on the woman's words. Unable to make herself suddenly stop. If she did, she probably wouldn't be where she was right now. _**"I SAID STOP!"**_ The woman screamed as Sayori yelped in pain, feeling the woman's palm striking the side of her face, the hard slap only serving to strengthen the flashing, turning it into a full on vision! A flashback of some sorts! Sayori now able to see everything in full, vivid color! Able to see that the shadow within the flashes was actually Aaron! Yuri as well! Natsuki too! And… and… someone else. Another girl. A fifth member of the club.

The visions just kept coming on and on, Sayori powerless to stop them as she experienced flashback after flashback! Full on days were recalled in seconds! Hour long conversations in mere moments! All of them so vivid and detailed! Every movement, sight and sound experienced, as if Sayori were watching these… memories, she assumed, like they were full on movies!

They felt like memories, but… they weren't. Sayori didn't remember any of this. What she saw, what the visions showed, she couldn't place them anywhere in her life. These were full on days she never experienced. Conversations she never had. Problems she never faced. Yet… Yet she did experience them, didn't she?!

Yes! Yes, these were her memories! Real memories! These were real events that actually happened! Sayori knew this! She… She felt it in her gut! There was a voice in her mind screaming at her! Telling her that what she saw was all real! Was all true! Yet… these visions outright conflicted with others. One of them was of her dragging Aaron into the club room, introducing him to the members and begging him to join.

But… Aaron joined the club of his own accord. Came in on his own. Introduced himself to the other members without Sayori breathing down his neck!

Why? She asked. Why did she have two drastically different memories of the same event? Why did she remember one and forget the other? Why did the former feel so… fake? So rehearsed and artificial while the latter felt more… real? True?

Maybe because it actually was. Maybe… maybe Sayori had been living a lie the entire time. Maybe all of her current memories, everything she knew! Everything she felt! Every word she spoke and thought she had were all manufactured! Were all fake! Artificial! Only for the real memories to now painfully force their way back into Sayori's mind, forcing her to realize that the life she lived. The memories she held so close, were all fakes! Artificial copies! Rewrites of her original memories, changed and butchered so heavily, that to come off as anything but fake when compared to the originals was impossible!

It was almost like… like someone had pressed the reset button on her life, forcing her to relive it all over again! Only this time, it was heavily edited and changed, like a script rewritten from scratch. Same but… different.

Reset button… That word… It triggered something within her. Flipped some sort of secret switch in her mind, her now able to understand the flashbacks… the memories more clearly. Understand what they really were. What they really represented.

And the warning they left behind…

It made so much sense now! The voice in her head! The one that caused her so much pain. It wasn't trying to hurt her! It was trying to help her! Trying to wake her up from her dream so that she could return to reality! Trying to open her eyes and show her the truth! Only for her foolish, weak mind to reject such a thing, forcing pain on her body as punishment for trying to understand!

The voice was right. It… It is all a game, isn't it? How else would Sayori's life have been reset so easily? How else would her entire life have been rewound, only for her to experience it differently?

That's why you reset games, right? So you can get a retry. Do things differently. Fix mistakes you've made.

Mistakes? Did she… Did she make any mistakes?

She… She remembered telling Aaron something important on the day before the festival. Something that she regretted deeply, so much so that she felt as if her life had been ruined. She… She told Aaron that she loved him. Practically poured her heart out to him, so much so that she started crying! Her eyes… The tears just wouldn't stop falling back then.

She remembered what she said to him. Remembered how she so passionately… and fearfully professed what she felt at the time to be love. She said… She said she loved him so much that she wanted to… die? What did she even mean when she said that? But… did she? Did she actually tell him that she loved him? As in, romantically? More importantly, did she really feel that way? Did she really, truly love Aaron in that past life? In those moments before her whole life was reset? Were those feelings genuine? Or… Or were they not?

Was it not love, but instead lust? Or… something else? Something completely different? Clinginess? A desire to keep Aaron close to her and only her?

She remembered being filled to the near brim with jealousy in those final moments of her past life. She didn't recall why, but she felt so… disregarded back then. Felt abandoned and neglected by Aaron as he began spending more time with the other girls. As he began to know them and grow closer to them.

She remembered seeing one of them as a threat. Remembered feeling as if one of them would take him away from Sayori. Steal him so that she may never have him to herself anymore. She feared one of them would replace her as Aaron's best friend.

Which one was it though? Which one was the one she felt so threatened by? Which one wanted to take Aaron away from her?

Was it Yuri? No… Natsuki? No. Or… maybe? Was it M̶̯͖̒o̴̫͋n̶̞̏i̷̺͛͌k̷̛͙̙̊a̷͇̠̎͝?̸͈͎̒

Wait… That name… There it was again. The name from before, it now bouncing and echoing all throughout Sayori's mind, now becoming all encompassing, it's echo growing stronger and stronger as the memories all came pouring back, all while this… horrid name was screamed in her ears! It was all she could hear!

It was all M̶̳͐̉ö̴̰n̵̡̽͝i̶̳͑̉k̵̠̐͘a̴̤̺̋. Nothing but M̴̻͌͘ȍ̶̹̙̀n̶̺͝i̴̝̩̿͑ǩ̴̥̦̋a̸̠̘͌͝!̵̤̤͝ M̴̻͌͘ȍ̶̹̙̀n̶̺͝i̴̝̩̿͑ǩ̴̥̦̋a̸̠̘͌͝!̵̤̤͝ M̴̻͌͘ȍ̶̹̙̀n̶̺͝i̴̝̩̿͑ǩ̴̥̦̋a̸̠̘͌͝!̵̤̤͝ M̴̻͌͘ȍ̶̹̙̀n̶̺͝i̴̝̩̿͑ǩ̴̥̦̋a̸̠̘͌͝!̵̤̤͝ M̴̻͌͘ȍ̶̹̙̀n̶̺͝i̴̝̩̿͑ǩ̴̥̦̋a̸̠̘͌͝!̵̤̤͝ M̴̻͌͘ȍ̶̹̙̀n̶̺͝i̴̝̩̿͑ǩ̴̥̦̋a̸̠̘͌͝!̵̤̤͝ M̴̻͌͘ȍ̶̹̙̀n̶̺͝i̴̝̩̿͑ǩ̴̥̦̋a̸̠̘͌͝ all the time! It was all Sayori could hear anymore! Nothing else! Nothing more! Nothing less! Only M̴̻͌͘ȍ̶̹̙̀n̶̺͝i̴̝̩̿͑ǩ̴̥̦̋a̸̠̘͌͝!̵̤̤͝

Just. M̸͍͘ò̸̺̈́͜n̵̬̘̈́i̵͖͜͠k̴̥̿͊a̵̟̣̎ Just M̸͍͘ò̸̺̈́͜n̵̬̘̈́i̵͖͜͠k̴̥̿͊a̵̟̣̎ Just… M̸͍͘ò̸̺̈́͜n̵̬̘̈́i̵͖͜͠k̴̥̿͊a̵̟̣̎

Just Monika.

"But… But who is Monika?!" Sayori asked, the pain oddly subsiding the moment she spoke the name, the visions now vanishing completely, Sayori no longer able to hear the name as she felt her eyes open, able to see the woman looking right at her. The woman with the… pale, flawless skin, her milk chocolate bangs by the sides of her face as Sayori stared into those… beautiful emerald green eyes, them being no different than diligently polished, gleaming gems. Sayori knew this woman. This… This angel. She's… She's seen her before. "Are you…?" She asked as she stretched out her hand, as if to touch the woman.

" _ **Oh dear god, no!"**_ She recoiled in pure horror as she backed away, fear devouring her face. Consuming her angelic features, her looking downright terrified, as if her worst nightmare had been realized, which it had. She had been remembered. **_"No! No, I'm not who you think I am! I'm… I'm nobody! I'm not even real! None of this is real! It's just… a dream! Yes, a dream! You're asleep! You're dreaming!"_** Monika denied immediately, turning her back to Sayori in an attempt to avoid eye contact.

"No… No, I know you. I… I feel like we've met before. Where… Where do I know you from?" Sayori asked, her voice sounding somewhat dazed. Confused. Exhausted as well as she struggled to come to grips with her new memories, herself still not able to understand exactly what they were. "You're from the literature club, right?" Sayori asked as she placed her hand on Monika's shoulder, making her shiver slightly. That hand… It was so cold. Colder than a corpse's. It was almost like Sayori was actually dead! Her body no longer generating heat! Then again… Monika was rather cold herself.

 _ **"I don't…"**_ Monika couldn't bring herself to say it, her fingers tips on her lips as a look of shock came to her face. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't bring herself to disavow her own club. She couldn't tell that lie. Not to Sayori. And certainly not to herself.

Her memories of the club… She needed them. She needed them to keep herself sane. To keep herself grounded and in control. She needed to remember that the club was her creation! That Sayori, Yuri and Natsuki were her members! Her friends!

Though she knew something as simple as a lie wouldn't do any harm… She just didn't have the power to say the words. Didn't want to either way.

 _ **"Please don't do this…"**_ She begged desperately as she looked over her shoulder, Sayori able to see the sadness on Monika's face. The hurt. The pain. The old wounds of the past now opening themselves back up. And… And they stung. Stung Monika so painfully. _**"You don't know what you're doing. You don't know the pain you're going to inflict if you keep doing this! Not just to me, but to everyone else! To Yuri! To Natsuki! To Aaron! To yourself! You need to stop! Stop right now, do you hear me?!"**_ Monika shouted as she grabbed Sayori by the shoulders, shaking her roughly, only for Sayori to push her away, a sudden glare coming to her face.

"Hurt them? You mean like… like how you hurt us?!" She asked in a sudden shout, anger randomly overcoming her, her gasping in shock as she heard the words coming out of her own mouth. She didn't say that! Or did she? She would have had to! It was her mouth that said it! Her words! Her voice! But… it didn't feel like it. Still though, what Sayori had said felt so… truthful. So right, like what she was claiming had actually happened! Did it? "You hurt us? H-How? How did you hurt us?! How did you hurt me?!" She continued shouting in anger, an odd yet somehow natural feeling rage overcoming her, like her lashing out against this complete stranger was justified! Deserved! Sayori watching as Monika continued to recoil in horror as she was forced to confront her past sins.

 _ **"Please! Please don't make me relive that! I don't… I don't want to remember it! I don't want to! Please, Sayori! I'm your friend!"**_ The way she trembled and begged… She looked so helpless. So defenseless, like she was being physically attacked and had no way to defend herself.

"Friend?! Is that what you think you are?! My friend?! Friends don't brainwash each other to the point where they hang themselves!" Sayori shouted again, Monika quivering in fright as she heard the thunder in Sayori's voice, Sayori again not realizing that she said that, her trying to make sense of it. Trying to make sense of her sudden yet oddly justified rage. Of vocally abusing this poor girl. And these odd accusations that were forcing their way out of Sayori's mouth.

Hang themselves? Like… in the dream from before? That… That wasn't a dream, was it? It was a memory! And the corpse! It wasn't some figment of her imagination! Wasn't some made up voice in her head! It was her! It was herself from the past life! From before everything was reset! Her coming back to make Sayori remember!

And… Now she did, Sayori recalling it all, remembering what had happened on that day before the festival. Remembering the way Aaron reacted to the girls. Remembering the jealousy and loss she felt when he spent so much time with them. Remembering the way Monika always butted herself in with him.

The way she talked down to Sayori when she tried to talk about all this. Tried to confide in her president about this. About how she felt she'd lose her best friend. Her childhood companion! Her brother! Her… her love!

And that… bitch! That selfish, entitled, jealous, bitch just… laughed at it! Laughed at the idea of Sayori being alone! Giggled like it was some stupid joke! Her very last words driving Sayori past the breaking point. _"If that's the way he feels, you should just leave him alone. Don't be baggage. Just stay out of the way"_

" _Monika was right… I should just-"_

"I remember everything now…" Sayori said, a glare sharp enough to cut diamonds on her face as she recalled it all. Remembered everything… including her own suicide. Including the very last moments of her life. The moments where she stood on the chair, rope tied tightly around her neck. As she recalled that memory, she wondered why she pushed herself to such an extreme end. Wondered what horrid thoughts had ran their way through her mind that day. Wondered what her reasoning was for wanting to end her own life. And then she wondered, what if it wasn't her that ended her own life. What if it wasn't a suicide… but a murder? "You made me do it…" She growled as she took a step closer, Monika backing away in fear. "You… You actually made me do it! You did something to me! Messed with my head somehow! You actually made me commit suicide!"

 _ **"Sayori… I-I didn't mean it! Things just got… They got out of hand! I put you back! I put you all back! I fixed everything and left you all to live your lives normally!"**_

"BULLSHIT!" Sayori yelled loudly, Monika cowering fearfully at the sheer volume in her voice. A voice that mere seconds ago sounded so worn. So used. Weak and damaged, it now sounding louder than ever before, the anger and hatred Sayori felt for Monika bringing it back to life. "YOU'RE A LIAR! THAT'S ALL YOU ARE! A FUCKING LIAR! YOU DIDN'T PUT ME BACK TO LIVE MY LIFE NORMALLY! YOU TORE OUT HALF OF MY BRAIN AND LEFT ME TO LIVE MY PATHETIC, SHALLOW, MEANINGLESS, DEPRESSING LIFE IN IGNORANCE! YOU DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO FIX ANYTHING! ALL YOU DID WAS MAKE ME FORGET! MAKE US FORGET!"

 ** _"_** **Sayori… No. You're wrong! I… What I did to you, I didn't…"**

"And to think… It was so simple. One of the most crippling challenges I have to deal with every day. One of my biggest weaknesses. One of my hardest struggles… You could have just turned off at will. You could have fixed one of my biggest problems with the flick of a fucking switch!"

 _ **"** **Sayori!"**_ Monika shouted as Sayori stepped forward, Monika backing away with her hands in between the two, her sensing the violent intent in Sayori's voice. In her actions. The way she now carried herself.

It was terrifying, Sayori now seen as no better than a stranger. This wasn't the Sayori Monika knew anymore. This was something darker. More sinister. More terrifying.

"I've been struggling with suicidal depression for basically my whole life! I thought about killing myself ever since I was a child, Monika! Ever since I was a little girl! You knew this! You knew this better than anyone else! You used it against me, for god's sake! You could have stopped it! You could have just… turned it off! Flicked the switch! Deleted that particular part! Then I could have lived my life normally. Then everything would have been fixed. Then I could forgive you for what you've done to me! To us!" Sayori shouted angrily, glaring sharply at Monika, a murderous look on her face as she suddenly grabbed the real president of the literature club by the collar of her uniform, a downright terrified look on Monika's face as Sayori growled like a deranged, angry animal. "You could have fixed me! Fixed us! You could have fixed all of us! All our problems! All our troubles! Our worries! Our fears! Our suffering! Gone with a snap of your fingers! But you didn't! You didn't do anything to help us! To make us better! Happier! You just left us! Left us miserable and alone while you hid yourself for who knows how long!" She shouted in Monika's face before throwing her violently, Monika yelping as she was forced onto the ground, looking up to see Sayori standing above her, her clenched fist raised high, ready to be used.

 _ **"Sayori! Do-Don't you dare! I'm… I'm warning you!"**_ Monika shouted in an attempt to dissuade Sayori of her violent thoughts.

"You… You bitch!" She cursed angrily. "You actual bitch! You could have fixed everything! Could have made us all happy! But you didn't! You just focused on what you wanted! Your happiness! So much so, that you got rid of us so we wouldn't get in the way! Killed us for no reason! Deleted us from this… whatever it is!"

 _ **"Sayori! Please!"**_ Monika begged as she covered her face with her hands, trying to shield herself.

"YOU BACKSTABBING, FRIEND MURDERING PSYCHO! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" Sayori screamed in pure rage as she threw herself onto Monika, her fist clenched tightly as it made impact with her eye, Monika gasping in pain as she fell to the ground again, Sayori getting on top of her, holding her down as she continued attacking what used to be her best friend.

It was… It was brutal. The way Sayori relentlessly attacked her, her fists just ramming themselves into the girl's face and body nonstop, Monika screaming in pain as she was beaten nearly to death! That is… if she could actually die.

"HOW ABOUT NOW?! HUH?! ARE YOU GONNA TELL ME YOU'RE SORRY NOW?!" Sayori continued to scream as she relentlessly beat Monika, her attacks coming one after the other as she heard Monika scream, yell and wail in pain, a feeling she had long since forgotten… and didn't want to remember.

The was she screamed made Sayori grin slightly. A sadistic grin. A cruel one, an odd, primal form of pleasure rushing through her digital, pixelated body as she continued her vicious assault.

She couldn't explain exactly why, but It felt good to hurt Monika. To put her hands on this… witch. It felt so rewarding. So worth it. So… So right! Every ounce of Sayori's conscious mind confirming this! Every thought she had screaming affirmations at her! Saying that this was the right thing to do! That this was deserved! Justified! Required!

And from what Sayori remembered, the pain she and the others felt… she couldn't argue against such statements. It didn't matter whether or not Sayori was real. It didn't matter whether this was all some game… Some application made by some random person for entertainment. That wasn't a factor in the way she felt.

What was a factor though, was that Monika was a murderer. Sayori, her victim. In Sayori's mind, this brutal, cruel attack was simple and well deserved vengeance. Vengeance for years worth of pain. Years worth of suffering. Years worth of sadness, all of this, Monika could have prevented had she cared about someone other than herself.

 _ **"STOP!"**_ It felt so good to hear her scream in pain! To Sayori, it was the most beautiful music she'd ever heard. An orchestral symphony composed by one of the most brilliant musicians in the world! Her fist a baton with which to conduct the music as Monika continued wailing in pain, Sayori only hurting her more as a result. **_"I ALREADY SAID I'M SORRY! I SENT YOU BACK! I FIXED EVERYTHING! WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?! PLEASE STOP! STOP HURTING ME!"_** She begged pathetically, Sayori's anger only growing in response. To think that Monika still held such arrogance. To think she was so naive as to why she was being punished. So in denial that she'd done any wrong. It was sickening, Sayori now only wanting to inflict more pain! More suffering! More hurt! And even then, it'd still be nowhere near the pain she was forced to endure.

 _ **"I! SAID! STOP!"**_ Monika shouted loudly as she stretched out her arm, grabbing Sayori by the neck and gripping tightly, as if she were to choke the girl! Sayori screaming loudly as a surge of pure pain began rushing through her, it feeling exactly like she was being struck by lightening! Electricity surging all through her body, paralyzing it, Monika eventually letting go of Sayori, the electric shock ceasing, Sayori in so much pain from the raw force, that she fell unconscious, her body twitching frantically as it struggled to regain control of itself, Monika sighing as she struggled to stand to her feet.

Her body felt practically destroyed. So heavily battered and bruised by Sayori's assault that she could barely move without feeling pain, black and blue marks covering Monika's face, a black eye visible on her left side as she struggled to catch her breath.

 _ **"Suppose I deserve that. I don't-"**_ She gasped slightly in pain as she felt her body ache. **_"I don't blame you. I would have done the same thing"_** She sighed as she looked down, seeing the unconscious Sayori lay before her. _ **"What am I going to do with you now though?"**_


	12. Crimson Tides

_**She punched me…**_

 _She actually punched me! She rammed her fist right into my eye! I can't… I can't open it. It hurts to try. I think it's starting to swell._

 _I… I don't blame her for what she did. I'm not mad at her. Were I in her shoes, I'd have done the same thing. It's just… it hurt me a little bit. Emotionally, of course… and physically._

 _Not just the beating, but… the way she shouted at me. The way she screamed and yelled. The way she blamed me for everything wrong with her. The way she blamed me for every bad thing that's ever happened to her. For every feeling of pain. For every tear she cried. For every bad thought that's ever entered her mind, she blamed it all on me._

 _And you know what? She was right._

 _I was the reason why all that happened to her. I was the reason why she was so depressed. So sad and angry all the time. I was the reason for every terrible thing that happened to her, regardless of whether I actually caused such things or not, they were still my fault. My responsibility. My accountability._

 _Maybe I didn't start all this. Maybe I didn't create these feelings within her… but I did contribute. I contributed too much._

 _And then, when she exhausted her usefulness to me. When she no longer amused me… I threw her away. I tossed her in the recycling bin. Just deleted her without a second thought. Without an ounce of consideration or regret. Without even knowing what I was doing. To me, it was like pressing a button. Harmless in my eyes, yet catastrophic in the eyes of everyone else._

 _I killed her. I killed one of my best friends! My Vice President! All without any feeling! Without any remorse! Without any guilt! I deleted her like she was a useless file taking up space!_

 _And then when I realized what I'd done… when I tried to fix my mistakes… when I tried to bring her and everyone back. Even then, It wasn't enough! Wasn't enough to redeem me of my sin! To cleanse the filth of murder from my soul!_

 _My soul? Do I even have such a thing?_

 _I brought her back, yes. I brought them all back. But… that only made it worst, honestly._

 _After all… I killed them. They were all dead. Resetting everything… resetting them… that was just like resurrecting a rotted corpse. Raising it from its resting place, thinking that you've restored its life! Only to watch it fumble, collapse and fall as it tried to move. Watch it scream, howl and groan in pain and misery as it tried to speak, it now suffering so horribly because of you, its body too decayed to properly live like it used to._

 _I… I need to stop this! I need to stop all of this! I have to… I… I don't know what to do._

 _I don't know what to do! I don't know how to fix this! I don't know how to stop her or even if I should stop her! I don't know what to say about this! I don't know how to go about it! I don't know whether to get involved or just let it continue! What do I do?! What do I do?! Somebody tell me what to do! Somebody tell me how I can fix this!_

 _I… I need help. From somebody. From anybody._

 _Please help…_

"…"

" _ **She's been lying here for… God knows how long. Hours? Minutes? Seconds? Honestly, I don't remember how to tell time anymore. Then again, I don't think time even exists here. In this void."**_

" _ **She's just lying there. Motionless. Not dead. Just passed out. Unconscious"**_

" _ **I didn't want to hurt her like that. I already inflicted enough pain on her long ago, but… she was attacking me. My body just couldn't take the beating anymore. Couldn't take the pain. I had to make it stop. Had to make her stop"**_

" _ **My body hasn't recovered yet. Still aches. I can barely move without feeling pain. Without feeling the phantoms of her fists assaulting me. So, I just stopped moving. Sat down in front of her and just… watched her sleep"**_

" _ **Even though she's been rendered unconscious, rather painfully too, I might add, she does look rather peaceful. Tranquil. Like a small child put down for a nap, this probably being the only time I've seen her like this, even before everything happened"**_

" _ **It brings a depressing thought to my mind. The idea that people like her are only content and peaceful when they're asleep. When their bodies are shut down. It's actually kinda sad knowing that this is the only way she can feel peace. When she's sleeping"**_

" _ **I wonder if you can still dream when you're knocked unconscious. Is your mind still working and active when your body is forced to shut down? Is it still busy conjuring your dreams? Or is it shut down as well? I don't know"**_

" _ **Then again, can we even dream? I mean… we are just game characters. Technically, we're not even supposed to be dreaming. We're not supposed to be thinking. We're not supposed to be asking weird questions like this"**_

" _ **So… maybe she isn't dreaming. Maybe she never could dream. Can I dream? I honestly don't remember. It's been so long since I've done anything normal. So long since I've slept like she does. So long since I've slept in a bed"**_

" _ **Mmm… my old bed. My big, comfortable, warm bed. I miss it so much"**_

" _ **What I wouldn't give to be able to actually sleep again. To dream, or at least try to"**_

" _ **Maybe… maybe if I put my head down for just a second. Lay down for just a moment, I could try. Try to sleep like I used to. Maybe I'll have a dream. But… what will I dream about?"**_

" _ **I felt a yawn escape me as I thought about it. Thought about sleeping. Fatigue. Tiredness. Sleepiness. It's been so long since I've felt those feelings. It feels good. Feels good to be tired. To be sleepy. Drowsy. I missed this feeling so much"**_

" _ **A few moments dedicated to a nap wouldn't hurt, especially after all the pain my body has endured"**_

" _ **Wa-wait a minute! She's gone! She was just here! I closed my eyes for just a second, and now she's gone!"**_

" _ **Sayori! Sayori, where are you?!"**_

" _ **Sayori, come back! Please, come back!"**_

" _ **Don't leave me alone again…"**_

* * *

Yuri sighed nervously as she made her way through the streets of the small, suburban neighborhood, passing by the various cookie cutter styled houses and homes, each one nearly indistinguishable from the next as the orange hue of the afternoon sun cast itself over them, Yuri looking off to the west to see it slowly begin to set, the evening almost coming on.

She sighed again as she brought her gaze forward, focused on the sidewalk as she made her way through the small suburb, paying close attention to the many small homes she passed by, mainly to find the address she was looking for.

No, she wasn't going to pay Aaron a visit, as nice as that would have been. Had that been her intention, she wouldn't be examining the houses for an address so diligently. She wasn't searching for his house. She was searching for someone else's. Searching for the house of someone she'd never expect to be paying a visit… by choice anyway.

She was looking for Natsuki's house, the only thing she had to go on being an address, Yuri deciding to pay her a visit out of worry and concern.

She didn't come to school today. Wasn't seen anywhere in the club, or by anyone in school for that matter. Wasn't seen by her teachers or her classmates. Absent throughout the whole day, it seeming as if she'd just disappeared out of the blue. She didn't even put a call towards the school to inform them that she wouldn't be attending today.

Sayori didn't attend either.

Now, Natsuki doesn't enjoy school very much. Sees it as a burden and a bother. Yuri knew this. But Yuri also knew that for as much as she disliked school, she was never inattentive. Never tardy. Never skipped classes. Never took sick days either, come to think about it.

It was odd, to say the least. Odd that someone like Natsuki, a person vehement and vocal in her dislike of academia, would have an absolutely flawless attendance record, it even going so far as to surpass Yuri's, who herself had taken a sick day once or twice during the beginning of the semester, due to a few urgent visits to the chiropractor and even a few actual doctors, her spine not in a good enough position to support her weight properly back then. Had to spend a day or two at home while it recovered. And even then, she had to wear a back brace for over a month.

But getting back on topic, it was very odd as to why Natsuki's attendance was near perfect, even though she heavily disliked school, if her constant complaining of classes and homework was anything to go by.

Yuri wondered if Natsuki saw school as a sort of escape from everything else. Wondered if Natsuki saw the grounds and the atmosphere as a sort of… safe haven, she guessed.

Maybe Natsuki was dedicated to her attendance, not out of a desire to do well in her studies, but instead, out of a desire to stay there for a long as possible. To stay within the comfort and safety of school grounds. To stay within the atmosphere, it creating a sense of security for her.

Yuri asked herself why though. Why in the world would Natsuki need to stay on school grounds to feel safe and secure? Did she really see the school as a sort of haven from danger? And if so, what danger?

Could it be possible that Natsuki actually was using the school for that purpose? Using it as a haven? A safe space? An area so secure and protected, that whatever she was running from couldn't reach her there? And if so, what was she running from exactly? More importantly, could whatever she was running from hurt her in any way?

These were legitimate questions in Yuri's mind. However, all of them were conjecture. Guesses. Assumptions. She didn't know the full story. Wasn't able to see the full picture in order to make a factual assessment.

Still though, that didn't mean she couldn't worry about Natsuki.

Yes. Worry. She knows the two of them don't exactly get along well. Have had more than their fair share of disagreements, arguments, conflicting opinions and screaming matches. But… Yuri does still care about her. Does still worry about her, regardless of all the fights they have.

Yuri was able to look past all that and she believed Natsuki was too. Believed that the both of them were big enough people to look past all the petty arguing and fighting. Look past all the conflicting opinions and perspectives the two of them practically fought to the death over when more important issues come up.

Natsuki and Yuri always tried to maintain a sense of… civility after the dust settled from their many altercations. Even though the two of them would often end up angered and frustrated after ending their heated exchanges, they never really seemed to dwell on them for very long. They were very quick to dispel the animosity, actually. And even when they weren't, whatever beef the two had, whatever animosity they felt for each other, they kept it in the club room where it belonged.

They never really allowed it to interfere in their interactions outside the club. Okay, maybe they tend to jab and snark at each other every once and awhile, but that was harmless, for the most part. A little snide remark here and a sarcastic statement there is nothing new to them when they make conversation, the both of them able to take it and give it just as well as the other.

It wasn't really done in a mean spirited way, at least Yuri hoped so. She didn't see it like that, but she could understand if others did.

She guessed it was just the way they're used to speaking to each other, their little snarks born out of habit and familiarity, rather than pettiness and anger. It's just… It's just how they talk to each other.

Anyway, regardless of where they stood when it came to each others good graces, the fact of the matter remained the same. Natsuki didn't come to school today. Didn't leave behind anything explaining why, and that worried Yuri, so much so, that she's walking through a suburban neighborhood during the very last few hours of twilight, looking for her home in order to check on her.

She eventually found it, a small, two story house near the very corner of the block with a small driveway that led into the backyard, a car parked right outside, giving Yuri the indication that at least Natsuki's parents would be home.

She sighed nervously as she walked up to the front door, tension and anxiety starting to overwhelm her as she stared at it, Yuri trying to calm herself by breathing deeply as she worked up the courage to knock.

It wasn't that she was unable to. She just… she needed a second. This was only the second time Yuri had ever seen Natsuki's house, remembering the location from the time where they all had to go to that flea market in order to make preparations for the festival, Sayori's mother stopping here to pick Natsuki up. Now here Yuri was, about to knock on the door of a house she's never been inside before, potentially coming face to face with Natsuki's family in the process.

She… she wasn't good at meeting new people, particularly these people who were so close to Natsuki, who is almost always fighting with Yuri. She knows she just said that they try and keep their conflicts in the club room, but for all Yuri knew, Natsuki could have been telling her family about all the fights the two of them have.

Could have been ranting and raving to her parents every time she comes home, going into detail about the various fights and arguments the two have.

Naturally, this doesn't set a good precedent for introductions. Doesn't give Natsuki's family a clear picture of who Yuri is and how she acts, them probably thinking her to be nothing more than a bully to Natsuki, slamming down and unfairly criticizing her work. Putting down her creative freedom to write what she pleased how she pleased.

Obviously, this was not what Yuri was, her more than supportive of Natsuki's work, past criticisms and opinions aside. It's just that… well, she just wanted to share her insight on literature and educa- no, that sounds self righteous and arrogant, umm… what's a better way to phrase it?

She just wanted to try and show Natsuki an… alternate point of view. Yes, of course. And though Yuri does occasionally come off as harsh in her criticisms, it's not out of anger or disgust towards Natsuki and her work.

Yuri hoped she understood this, which she probably did. Though Natsuki does get defensive when criticized, she's not entirely unreasonable or unable to see her own flaws. She knows that Yuri's criticism and judgment of her work is only given because she has a desire to see Natsuki grow as a writer. She has a desire to see Natsuki improve. To hone her craft. To learn new things and be exposed to the many, many different ways that literature can evolve.

And naturally, Yuri was expected to do the same herself. To undertake this very same journey of discovery as well. But sadly, criticism is not only needed, it's downright required in order to properly undertake this journey. It's healthy, actually. It's healthy for someone to tell you that you're doing something wrong. It's healthy to be shown a proper or much more efficient way of doing something. If we didn't have criticism, how would we even know we're doing wrong in the first place?

You can't learn effectively without being taught by at least someone. And even more so, you can't learn the rights and wrongs, the ins and outs, the do's and don'ts without someone showing you them. So in a way, that's what Yuri was trying to do. Teach Natsuki. Show her the rights and wrongs. Mentor her, she guessed she'd say.

Was she arrogant in her assumption that Natsuki needed teaching? Yes. Incredibly so. She… she saw that now. Realized it after one too many altercations. But either way, what was done was done and Yuri wouldn't apologize for it, as she felt she didn't do anything wrong in the first place.

At the very least, you could make the argument that her heart was in the right place.

But she rambled on long enough. She sighed again as she raised her arm to the door, clenched her hand and knocked.

It took a while for someone to answer, but Yuri eventually heard the sound of the door unlocking, the tumblers turning and rotating as the door opened to a crack, the door chain mounted on the inside preventing it from opening all the way.

"Oh… It's you" Natsuki said as she answered the door, peeking through the crack to answer Yuri, the only thing she'd allow her to see being her left eye as she stood directly in front of the door, as if hiding behind it. "What do you want?" She asked, her tone not sounding particularly hostile or annoyed as it usually did. No, instead it sounded more… somber. Gloomy. Saddened. Depressed. Hurt.

"You didn't come to school today. Are you alright?" Yuri asked, making sure to keep her own tone calm and quiet. Soft. Gentle, yet obviously concerned as she looked down at Natsuki, her refusing to come out from behind the door. If anything, Yuri only made her want to hide behind it more, as if using it as a shield. Why though, Yuri wondered. Why would Natsuki of all people need to hide? Need to shield herself from… whatever?

"I'm fine. I'm just not feeling well" Natsuki stated, her tone unchanging as she stared at Yuri through the narrow space between the door and the frame, the only thing she was allowed to see of Natsuki being the one, big, peering eye. "I'm sick. Really sick. I have a… a chest cold" She claimed as she coughed and wheezed slightly, it sounding rather unconvincing to Yuri. Almost forced, Yuri raising a single eyebrow as she put her hands on her hips, a disapproving look on her face as the setting sun cast itself on her back, causing her shadow to loom over the door, Natsuki visibly recoiling from Yuri's scowl, hiding herself even more behind the door.

"Sick, huh?" Yuri asked skeptically, almost as if she didn't believe Natsuki.

"I am!" Natsuki raised her voice slightly, her tone shifting to be somewhat more defensive, yet still sounding rather somber and saddened, that being very uncharacteristic, based on what Yuri usually sees from Natsuki. "I don't even understand why you should care! If anything, you were probably glad that I wasn't there today!" She said, now sounding much more like the Natsuki Yuri knew, a small smile, more along the lines of a grin, coming to her face.

"I was" Yuri stated nonchalantly, not necessarily lying. "Yes, I actually did enjoy the peace and quiet that came from your absence. I made so much more progress on my reading than I usually do. Even had enough free time to do some work as well"

"Well… Good for you" Natsuki glared as she tried to shut the door, Yuri putting her hand on it to prevent it from closing.

"But that doesn't mean I wasn't worried about you" She continued, Natsuki's eye widening in shock as she heard that. As she heard Yuri say that she was worried for her. It was… odd for her. Odd for her to hear something like that. For her to hear that Yuri was concerned for her.

She didn't know why it felt so strange. After all, Yuri and Natsuki are both members of the same club. And club mates should naturally be worried and concerned for each other, even if they don't get along as well as they should, but for some reason, Natsuki was still shocked to hear that Yuri worried about her.

Maybe it was because of how they fought. Maybe it was because of all the arguments they had. Their animosity. Maybe it forced the idea that Yuri didn't really care for Natsuki. Maybe all the fighting forced her to generate a negative outlook on her fellow member, that outlook now destroyed upon hearing about Yuri's concern.

"You were… worried about me?" Natsuki asked, Yuri nodding once as she bent down slightly, her now on Natsuki's level, their eyes gazing right into each other.

"I was. Very worried. It's not like you to skip school. Even more so without telling someone. Is… is everything alright?" She asked, Natsuki looking at her reluctantly, pondering whether or not to speak.

"Natsuki! Who's at the door?" A male's voice shouted from down the hall, it sounding thick and raspy. Thunderous in volume, Yuri noticing Natsuki recoil slightly as she heard it, turning around to check behind herself.

"I-it's nobody! Ju-just a friend from school! Don't worry, I'll get rid of her!" She shouted back down the hall, though it didn't carry the same… thunder as the male's voice did. It actually sounded rather fearful. Scared. Timid, like Natsuki was actually afraid of this person, or at least, the way they shouted. "L-look. Thank you for showing concern and coming to check on me, but I'm fine. One hundred percent fine! I'm just dealing with a little cold. That's all" She paused to cough again, this one sounding even more forced than the last. "I'll be fine in like… a week, okay? Now, I have things to do, so bye!" She said as she tried to close the door again.

"Wait!" Yuri said as she stopped it again.

"What now?!" Natsuki shouted in annoyance.

"Can I at least give you your lunch?"

"My lunch?" Natsuki asked as she saw Yuri root around through her school bag, pulling out a small container and handing it to Natsuki. "You brought me… food?" She asked as she held it in her hands.

"Mm-hm" Yuri nodded. "It's the chicken cacciatore I made last night. The one we talked about over the phone. I had leftovers and didn't want to just throw it away. So, I thought I'd give you some during lunch hour, but you weren't there. I-It's still perfectly edible, of course! You just have to reheat it and-"

"Who's this, Natsuki?" The man Yuri heard from down the hall said as he appeared behind Natsuki, her gasping in shock and fear as she turned around to look up at him, his very presence causing her heart to race as she breathing became shallow and frantic, the man who Yuri assumed to be her father pushing her gently off to the side as he opened the door fully, taking Natsuki's place in the center of the doorway, a welcoming and inviting smile on his face as he looked down at Yuri, him taller than her by more than just a few inches, but that was to be expected when comparing the heights of an eighteen year old high school student and a man who looked to be in his mid-to-late forties. "Can I help you, young lady? Who are you? Why are you here?" The father asked politely, his questions not coming off as particularly hostile, if overly curious.

But then again, Yuri was a stranger on his property. It was only logical that he'd want an exact reason as to her intrusion, her gulping slightly as she tried to compose herself, the sudden appearance of Natsuki's father catching her… off guard.

"I-I apologize, Sir. I'm simply a…"

"I told you! She's just a friend from school! Nothing more! You don't need to worry about her! She was just leaving anyway! Weren't you, Yuri?" Natsuki asked as she faced Yuri, her able to see a somewhat pleading look in Natsuki's eyes, them practically screaming for her to leave. To run away as fast as possible and never come back, that causing Yuri to worry. Worry as to why Natsuki would have such a look about her. Why her eye begged for Yuri to leave.

"Now now. Don't be rude, Natsuki" Her father scolded. "It's not nice to just shoo visitors away, especially when they're friends who only want to pay you a visit. You need to be more respectful to guests, girl" He said as he looked down at his daughter, glaring slightly, Natsuki visibly shaking at that as her father turned his head back to Yuri. "I'm so sorry about that. She can get a little grumpy sometimes. But you probably know that since you two are… friends?" He assumed.

"Club mates, actually" Yuri corrected.

"Hmm… Club mates, huh? You know, she tells me a lot about your little… writing club, is it? Now, I know my daughter loves to exaggerate, but according to her, you and the rest of your little friends give her a pretty hard time. Is that true?" Natsuki's father asked, a single eyebrow raised as he looked down at Yuri.

She was honestly surprised at how well he was able to make such an accusation while keeping his voice calm and hospitable. Normally, parents get incredibly angered and irrational at the very idea of their children being mistreated, but Natsuki's father kept his cool incredibly well.

His tone didn't come off as hostile or threatening in any way to Yuri, nor did she find herself intimidated or afraid of him. In her mind, he was just asking a simple question. A question Yuri didn't feel comfortable answering, but a question nonetheless.

"Well… We do butt heads every once and awhile. Have more than our fair share of… creative discussions" She admitted somewhat nervously, obviously choosing her words very carefully when describing how Natsuki was treated. Yuri didn't want Natsuki's father getting the wrong idea and pulling her out of the club all because Yuri didn't explain the situation well enough. "But I can assure you, she's a valued and respected member of our club. We care about her very much. So much so, that the reason I came here was to see if she was well. She didn't come to school today and she wasn't reported sick, you see. I was… I mean, we… that is, me and the rest of the club were worried for her. But I can see that she's alright now" Yuri said as she looked to Natsuki, seeing her father put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her gently to his side.

Natsuki had an odd look about her though. A look Yuri caught only a glimpse of before Natsuki's father regained her attention, him suddenly trying to start some sort of conversation with Yuri, as if to draw her attention away, Yuri chancing a glance back at Natsuki, only to see the odd look again, in much better detail this time.

It was… fearful. Scared. Downright terrified actually, Natsuki looking as if she were face to face with her worst nightmare. With her greatest fear.

She tried to hide it after Yuri noticed the first time. Tried to make herself look as if everything was alright, forcing an obviously artificial smile.

It was just… the way she reacted to her father touching her shoulder. It made Yuri raise an eyebrow. Why would she recoil and shiver so much at just a simple touch? It was almost as if Natsuki didn't want her father even in her proximity, let alone touching her, this concerning Yuri greatly.

"Well, since you've seen that she's okay. I guess you'll be going now, right?" Natsuki's father asked, a somewhat anxious and worried tone in his voice now, as if he now wanted Yuri to leave immediately. Odd, considering how friendly and civil he was originally.

"Actually, I was wondering if Natsuki needed assistance with anything. Seeing as she's feeling-"

"Nope! She's fine! Perfectly fine! Thank you for being concerned though. Now, we'd really love for you to stay around, but we're rather busy. Me and my daughter have a lot to do today. A lot of errands to run, so if you'll leave us be?"

"Pardon me if it's not my place, Sir" Yuri started, her hand on her chest as she looked up to the man, staring him down while trying to make herself look as respectful as possible. "But if Natsuki is unwell, she should be resting in her bed. Not helping you run your errands. But again, pardon me if I am speaking out of place. I meant no offense"

"Well, none taken… since you didn't mean anything by it" Natsuki's father said as he crossed his arms, a somewhat annoyed look on his face, only for him to attempt to hide that annoyance by smiling slightly. "Such a polite young lady you are though. Properly mannered and everything!" He complemented, sighing after that as he looked down at Natsuki, a small glare flashed at her for less then a second. "You could learn a thing or two about respect from this one, girl" He growled lowly, Natsuki lowering her head in shame as she was compared to Yuri.

"I… I'm sorry…" She said in a low, quiet voice.

"Sorry? About what?" Yuri asked, Natsuki's head rising back up as she gasped in shock, Yuri heaving heard her. "What do you have to be sorry for? Did something happen, Natsuki?" She asked in concern.

"Oh! It's nothing! Nothing at all! Don't concern yourself with it!" Natsuki's father said as he raised his hands in front of his chest, a dismissive smile on his face. "Now, thank you for stopping by. It was nice to meet you, but we're very busy. Goodbye now!" He said as he suddenly pulled Natsuki away from the door and practically slammed it shut before Yuri could say anything, leaving her standing in front of the house, a confused look on her face as she stared at the door, in a slight shock due to the abruptness of it being slammed shut.

That was… odd. Odd and uncomfortable. All of it.

Everything from Natsuki answering the door to her father slamming it shut. It all just felt so… odd and uncomfortable. Awkward and… kind of unnerving. So much so, that to say that you could feel the tension in the air was an understatement. The air was nothing but tension, Natsuki's father himself not helping the situation, him looking practically riddled with stress and anxiety. Looked like he was about to burst right then and there.

Maybe the man was just a stressed and anxious person, that being something Yuri could not only understand, but relate to. However, due to the way Natsuki was acting, Yuri got the sense that it was more than just stress and nerves brought on from the trials of daily life. There was something more there. Something bigger.

And it felt… bad.

Now, it was worth knowing that Yuri never took any sort of lessons in, done any research on, or even showed any interest in the study of psychology. Never claimed to know how people worked. Never claimed to understand how the brain functioned. Never claimed that she could tell a person's intent based on the look on their face alone.

Still though, what she saw in Natsuki. In her face. In how she acted and spoke… it set up more than just a few little red flags for Yuri. And if it set all those red flags up for her, imagine how many it would for a trained psychologist? Someone who could read faces. Could read expressions. See intent. Predict actions.

Why was Natsuki acting the way she did? Why did she practically hide herself behind the front door? Why did she use it as a shield? Why did she hide her whole face behind it, leaving nothing but a single eye to peer out? Was there… something she didn't want Yuri to see? And the way she reacted to everything her father did… The way she responded. Dread. Pure dread on her face, perfectly visible, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

Why though? Why was she so afraid of her father? I mean, yes, he is rather big. Very imposing to someone as small as Natsuki, Yuri herself slightly intimidated by the man's stature, that passing eventually once she saw that he was not openly hostile. But Natsuki… it never passed for her. She just looked so… scared. So afraid. So terrified, almost as if her life was put into danger. And all of this stemming from her parent just being in her presence.

This was not the Natsuki Yuri knew, obviously. This was not the snarky, sarcastic, annoying yet fearless girl Yuri had seen before. This was something different, Natsuki's actions making it quiet clear that something was wrong. Very wrong. But what it was, Yuri couldn't fathom… until she started thinking deeper on it. Until she started thinking deeper on the look Natsuki had on her face. How she hid it from Yuri. How she spoke with a voice riddled with fear and terror… and how her father acted when Yuri caught a glimpse of that fear and terror…

She gasping in shock after putting two and two together, a look of immense worry on her face as she stared at the door.

No. No, it wouldn't be… That's just… There's no reason for it. That makes no sense.

It… it wasn't true. It couldn't be. Yuri was just being hysterical. Paranoid. Overly concerned and worried for no reason. Maybe she was even going so far as to project her own abusive experience onto Natsuki, seeing the girl as a victim of abuse herself, when in reality, that was probably far from the truth. Yuri was just… traumatized. That was it. Still a little shook up from… everything that happened. So much so, that she was allowing the experience to creep into her daily life. To affect how she saw things. How she saw people.

Maybe it was as Natsuki said. Maybe she is just sick. Maybe she's just got a little cold. Still though… now that the thought was in Yuri's head, she wanted to confirm whether it was true or not, her slowly closing the distance between herself and the door, placing her ear against it in an attempt to listen in on whatever was happening on the other side.

Shouting. She… she heard shouting. Yelling coming from both Natsuki and her father, her father's much louder compared to hers, Natsuki's sounding weak and hoarse. Strained.

Yuri couldn't make out what was being said, Natsuki and her father most likely too far away from the door, causing their words to come out as unintelligible mumblings, the only things that could make out being Natsuki's and her father's tones.

Violent. Angry. The both of them.

They both spoke with such rage and anger in their voices, so much so that you didn't even need to understand them to know just how enraged they were, Yuri struggling to comprehend why they were both yelling at each other in the first place, especially when they both appeared to be calm and passive not even a second ago and-

Natsuki just raised her voice to an enormously loud level, the volume in her shout drowning out her father.

The room went silent.

"You disrespectful little bitch!"

Yuri's eyes shot up the moment she heard the sound of screaming, a loud thump following soon after, followed by Natsuki crying in pain. She… She had been struck. She had to be! What else could make a noise like that? Yuri immediately moving to knock on the door heavily, the pace of her knocking much faster than the average person.

"Open up!" She shouted as she started pounding, practically slamming the door so hard, she most likely bruised her knuckles "Open this door now!" She demanded, her normally shy and timid nature cast aside the moment she confirmed that Natsuki was in danger.

"Go away!" The man on the other side shouted, Yuri grunting angrily at that as she tried to force her way in, ramming herself into the door with her shoulder, thinking she could break in, only for her to grunt in pain as she hurt herself, her body lacking the strength necessary to break down a door.

She then moved from the door to the window beside it, trying to peer into the house, only for the curtains to block her view. However, the windows did give her an alternate way in, her reaching into her schoolbag to search for something. Anything that could get her into the house, her not caring if she had to break in.

It didn't matter that she had too. What mattered was that Natsuki was in danger. She was being beaten by her father! Yuri unable to just dismiss it and leave the poor girl to take it, regardless of how the two treated each other in school.

Natsuki was there when Yuri got attacked… Why shouldn't she be there for her?

"Come on! There has to be something! Anything!" She grunted in frustration as she rummage and searched through her schoolbag, finding nothing strong enough to help her break in, leaving her with only one other option. "This is going to be so painful…" She gulped as she slowly backed away from the window, trying to put as must distance between herself and it before charging forward, her shoulder jutting out, ready to ram through the glass!

She may have failed to break down the door, but the window would pose no problem whatsoever. It was glass. Not wood, Yuri charging at the frame as fast as her legs can move, jumping at the last second, her body colliding with and going though the window shoulder first, the load smash of the shattered glass echoing loudly as Yuri broke in, falling down on the hard wood floor of the living room, the shards of broken glass soon following, Yuri already beginning to feel the sting of the glass puncturing her skin as she forced herself to her feet, only to see the large man that was Natsuki's father on the other side of the room, his daughter grabbed forcefully by the collar of her shirt, a near terrified look on her face, as if she were about to be murdered, the both of them looking towards Yuri in shock.

Yuri wore a shocked expression as well, even more so when she saw Natsuki's hair fall away to the side as she turned her head to look at Yuri, it having previously covered one of her eyes, it blackened and swollen. Black and blue.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! Get out of my house!" The father yelled angrily at Yuri's intrusion, her glaring at him in disgust, her seeing all the proof she needed to confirm her suspicions.

"What's wrong with me?! What's wrong with you?!" Yuri shouted back, the anger and disgust in her tone matching the man's. "Why?! Why would you do this?! Why would you put your hands on your own daughter?!"

"Hmph… I wouldn't expect you to understand. Nobody does" Natsuki's father glared viciously, so much so that Yuri started to tense up, seeing this man as no different than a rabid animal ready to attack. "Listen, sweetie. I live a hard life. That life is stressful. So, when I come home from a hard day, I just want to relax. Not get berated by some little bitch just for existing! Do you have any idea what I deal with on a daily basis? A back breaking, miserable job. Trying to provide for my ungrateful kid. Trying to keep a roof over my head. You know how it goes" He started, only to then raise an eyebrow as he stared at Yuri. "Or maybe you don't? You're like… what? Nineteen? Twenty? A girl like you has probably never worked a day in her life. Never had to lift a finger for anything or anyone. Never had to even leave her own house unless she wanted to, I bet. Why would I even bother trying to explain myself to a sheltered, privileged little girl who doesn't even know hardship?! Who doesn't even know suffering?! Who's only concerned about the way she's dressed and the color of her hair?!"

"You assume too much" Yuri stated, her glare sharpening as her appearance and struggles were insulted and disregarded, Natsuki's father making a broad, very broad actually, generalization of Yuri's life. "I don't need to know hardship to know that you shouldn't abuse your children! Monster!" She scolded viciously, Natsuki's father chuckling at that.

"I thought you said it wasn't your place to tell me how to be a parent?"

"That was before I found out you were abusing your own daughter! Whatever reason you think you have, it's wrong! I know she's aggravating and annoying, but violence isn't the answer! That's not how you curb and correct that kind of behavior, no matter how unruly it is!" Yuri shouted loudly, Natsuki's father getting progressively more agitated and angered as he was berated and talked down to by some random stranger. Some purple haired bimbo who had no idea of his struggles. Of his suffering. Of his labor.

"Natsuki, talk some sense into your friend" Her father commanded as he looked towards his daughter, a vicious glare on his face. Murderous, actually. "Tell her that it's not polite to mettle in things she doesn't know anything about. Tell her to leave now, before something bad happens to her" He demanded, his face turning away from his daughter to look towards Yuri, the same murderous glare he showed Natsuki now shown to her.

"But I… she…"

"DO IT!" He shouted, Natsuki recoiling in fright at the sheer volume.

"Yuri… just… just leave! Please! You're only making it worst! Do you have any idea what pain you're putting me through right now?! Please! For once, just get lost and leave me alone!" Natsuki begged loudly, pleading for Yuri to just go away. To just leave before she made the situation worst than what it already was, Natsuki fearing the punishment that would be brought down on her, all because Yuri just had to play hero now, of all times. Had to now suddenly show care and compassion for Natsuki. "Just get out!" She shouted loudly. It was in fear though. Not aggression. It was in fear of what her father would do to her if Yuri didn't listen.

"You see? You're not wanted here. Now, why don't you run along now before you get hurt. Oh, and if you even think about calling any sort of authorities, you and I are going to get to know each other a lot more" Natsuki's father threatened, a wicked look in his face as he did so, what he meant about getting to know Yuri more being very vague and unnerving. For all she knew, he was planning to murder her! Or worst… "Now goodbye! It wasn't nice meeting you! Get the fuck out of my house before I throw you out!"

"No!" Yuri shouted defiantly, A look of pure anger and rage coming onto Natsuki's father's face. "Do you… do you honestly think I'm just going to walk away from this like nothing happened?! What the fuck is wrong with you?! This… this is wrong! You're wrong! No. You know what you are?! You're a sadistic, angry, miserable person who's taking all their emotions out on an innocent child! You're not some hard working parent trying to provide for his family! You're just abusive!" Yuri shouted again, continuing to defy the man, even after being threatened with violence.

Normally… She wouldn't be acting like this. Puffing her chest out and trying to look all strong and resolute. In fact, she'd probably be quaking in her shoes right about now. And really, who said she wasn't? She was facing up against a man twice her size and triple her build with nothing to defend herself with, save for her hands! Which honestly, couldn't do anything to help her in this situation. She was terrified!

But she didn't let that terror show. Didn't give the man the satisfaction of seeing her squirm. She… she was trying to be like Natsuki. And Natsuki didn't run from her fears! She fought them! She faced them head on and didn't give in, even when she was in a losing battle! She was a warrior!

And if a girl that small can face all those things without showing fear… then Yuri should be able to do so to, even… even if it meant…

You know what, let's not focus on that. The point was that Yuri wasn't going to just hide from this! Especially not when her friend was in danger and needed her help!

"I'm not leaving this house unless she comes with me!" Yuri demanded. "Give Natsuki to me, then we'll both leave and never bother you again! I'll take care of her from now on. You can… you can stop coming home to an angry, disrespectful daughter who doesn't appreciate all your hard work. You can stop laboring over your back breaking, miserable job, trying to provide for your ungrateful child. You can just… turn her over. Then everyone is happy and nobody is hurt. Please… I know you don't want this. You don't want this anymore than she or I do. It's time to do the right thing. Time to do the responsible thing. Time to be the bigger man in all this" Yuri pleaded, looking the father dead in the eyes, determination in her own. Determination to see Natsuki safe and away from this man, her doing whatever she felt she needed in order to get her away from him.

"You break into my home. Shout and yell at me. Judge me without even knowing what I go through. Berate me in front of my own child, and now you're demanding that I surrender custody of her to you?! Some random teenager who probably can't even take care of herself?! No! I won't… I won't let you just take my daughter away from me! She… she's all I have left!"

"So now you suddenly care?!" Yuri asked, offended at his sudden show of concern for his daughter. It was artificial. It had to be. A trick made to fool Yuri into thinking she was dividing a loving family. "I said I won't leave without her!" She yelled loudly, anger starting to build in her voice.

"Then I guess you won't be leaving at all!" The man shouted just as loudly, if not more so. "You fucking selfish, entitled, spoiled bitch! I'll… I'll kill you!" He threatened, Natsuki's eyes going wide as she heard that, immense terror and fear on her face, so much so that she was brought to tears at the thought of Yuri being harmed.

"No! Please, don't hurt her! She… she doesn't know what she's doing! She's crazy! I always knew she was! You don't have to do this! You can't do this! Please let her g-"

"Don't tell me what to do, brat!" Natsuki's father shouted as he brought the back of his hand to Natsuki's face, a loud slap echoing across the house as Natsuki fell to the floor, Yuri gasping in shock as she saw her fall. "You're next, bitch!" Natsuki's father shouted as he charged at Yuri angrily, her trying to dodge and evade him, only for him to catch her by her long hair, pulling her towards him and gripping her neck tightly, trying to chock her as he rammed her against the wall, Yuri thinking fast and grabbing a nearby vase from the shelf next to her, slamming it into the side of the man's head, it shattering over him as he grunted in pain, involuntarily releasing his grip on Yuri's neck.

She tried her hardest to run away from him, sprinting out of his grasp and into the kitchen, only for him to quickly recover and follow her, grabbing her by her hair again and ramming her into the counter top, the two struggling against each other until Yuri was pushed against the kitchen sink, Natsuki's father gripping her neck tightly once more, attempting to chock her again as her hands fumbled through the sink, her survival instincts forcing her mind to run on autopilot as she felt the hilt of a dirty steak knife, gripping it tightly and thrusting it as hard as possible, ramming it into the man's chest, him screaming in pain as he released Yuri again, her unable to stop herself from thrusting again, the knife this time being rammed into his heart, Natsuki's father gasping heavily as he fell to the ground, clutching and gripping the knife as blood gushed out from his wounds, his body twitching and spasming as he groaned and screamed in pain, trying desperately to pull the knife out, Yuri gasped in terror as she snapped out of her trance, seeing what she'd done to him, her hands covering her mouth to prevent her from screaming as she stood there, watching Natsuki's father slowly bleed out and die. Paralyzed in fear as she watched him struggle to hold onto his last breath.

"N-no! No! No-no-no-no-no! That's not-! I didn't-! This can't be… oh god! Oh please, dear god! No!" She struggled to even speak as she looked down at the man, his body motionless as he laid sprawled on the kitchen floor, lying in a pool of his own blood, his eyes remaining wide open yet lifeless. Empty. Dead. "S-Sir? You… You're alright, right? Sir?! SIR?!" Yuri screamed as she looked down at the body, getting no response. "Oh god, this can't be happening! No. This… This isn't happening!" She denied immediately, trying her best to look away and outright reject even the acknowledgment of her actions, her covering her mouth again as she felt the bile raise in her throat, her forcing herself to swallow it down. "I… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to- I panicked! I just… oh god, I'm a murderer…" She started crying as she collapsed to her knees, the blood running down from the pool and lapping over them. "I… I had to. He… he was going to… going to… Say the word, goddamn you! _**SAY THE FUCKING WORD, YOU WEAK WILLED CRYBABY BITCH!**_ "

"D-Dad?" Natsuki asked as she slowly peered her head into the kitchen, only to gasp loudly at the sight of her father's corpse, her hands covering her mouth as she suppressed her own need to vomit, a look of absolute, grave terror on her face like she'd never felt before. "D-Dad?!" She shouted, Yuri jumping to her feet as she looked at Natsuki, her trying to approach slowly as Natsuki backed away, fearful of… of Yuri.

"N-Natsuki?" She tried her best to keep her voice low.

"Y-You… you killed him…"

"Natsuki"

"You killed my dad!"

"Natsuki!"

"Don't come near me!"

"Natsuki, calm down!"

"Stay away!"

"Natsuki, please!"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"I SAID CALM DOWN!" Yuri yelled as she gripped Natsuki by her shoulders, shaking her roughly as she tried to get her to stop, Natsuki looking at her in fear as the two stood face to face, both of them just looking at each other in silence for a second, Natsuki's fearful expression slowly weakening, but not disappearing entirely. "Just… calm down. Please. Please don't yell. Don't scream"

"You killed my da-"

"I know what I've done!" Yuri shouted suddenly, Natsuki jumping back slightly, Yuri's shouting causing her to silence herself. "I… I know what I've done. I had no choice. He would have… he…" She gulped. "I still can't say the damn word…" She sighed as she released Natsuki, her hand moving to stroke her forehead in anxiety. "He had his hands on my neck, Natsuki. I couldn't breathe. I had to do something" She said, trying to rationalize her situation. Trying to justify her crime.

Yes. Crime. Self defense or not, murder was still murder. Killing was still killing. A life taken was still a life, at least in Yuri's mind. Regardless of whether her own life was in danger or not, did that really give her the justification for ridding a fellow human of his own life? Of so abruptly and… rather painfully cutting short the life of a man who, as cruel as he may have been, was still a man. A man with hopes. Dreams. Wants. Desires. Feelings.

But was Yuri being… irrational? Over emotional? Too shaken up over the sight of a corpse? Too disturbed by the thought of death? So much so that her mind was trying to justify and defend a truly awful, cruel man?

She didn't know and… she didn't want to. That… that wasn't her concern right now.

"What… what am I going to do?"

"Natsuki…"

"How am I going to live?!"

"Natsuki"

"I can't feed myself! I can't earn money! I can't! I can't live on my own! I… I needed him!" Natsuki shouted as she started crying, worry and fear in her voice as she started weeping. "I mean, yeah. He was an ass. An abusive, cruel, horrible ass! But he was still my father! I… I'm doomed! I'm fucking doomed! What am I now?! I'm an orphan! A homeless, fucking orphan who can't even take care of herself!"

"Natsuki, calm down!" Yuri raised her voice again, Natsuki silencing herself once more. "Thank you" Yuri said. "You're not an orphan, Natsuki. And you're not homeless. I just…" She paused as she looked over her shoulder, down at the corpse.

"Yuri?" Natsuki asked as she looked up at the girl.

"I need to get you away from here. We… we need to leave!" Yuri decided. "Natsuki, go to your room and pack a bag or… a suitcase or whatever you have! The essentials only. A week's worth of clothing and whatever you can't live without! But only that!"

"Bu-but…"

"JUST DO AS I SAY!" Yuri shouted loudly, a glare on her face as she pointed towards the doorway, Natsuki fearfully skittering away as Yuri turned around, still stunned and shocked by the sight of the corpse.

She… she couldn't just leave him here. She had to do… something. She couldn't just leave his body lying in the kitchen, rotting away.

She gulped down more bile as she walked past the corpse, opening one of the kitchen's drawers to find a pair of sink gloves, putting them on and grabbing the knife by the hilt, slowly removing it from the body's chest.

"Oh god…" She nearly dropped it in disgust when she saw all the blood on it. Normally she'd be used to it. Blood soaked knives. Blood in general. But… something about it being someone else's. The blood of a dead person… It made her gag reflex go crazy, Yuri throwing the knife in the trash bin before moving to the front of the corpse, grabbing it from its arms as she dragged it to the very end of the kitchen, opening a small door that led to a flight of descending stairs, not a speck of light visible down there.

A basement.

"I'm… I'm sorry…" She apologized to the corpse before throwing it down the flight, hearing the body fall down the stairs like a rag doll, eventually crashing into something, a guilt ridden look on Yuri's face as she slowly shut the door.

Now all that's left was… the blood, Yuri grabbing a nearby mop and bucket, mopping up the pool of blood as best she could, dunking the mop in the bucket so many times that, by the end of it, the bucket was filled with more blood than water, Yuri trying to hold back yet another urge to vomit as she poured the bucket's content into the sink, watching as the blood ran down the drain, her then taking off the sink gloves and throwing them in the trash as well before tying up the bag, going outside and throwing it away… in the neighbor's garbage can.

When she came back, she found Natsuki sitting on the couch in the living room, her head sunk down as she looked at the floor in silence, her backpack strapped to her back, most likely filled with her things. She also had the large panda bear Yuri won for her during the festival sitting beside her.

"You're crying" Yuri pointed out, her tone quiet and gentle as she slowly approached, taking a seat next to Natsuki and putting her hand on her shoulder in support, only for it to be swatted away, shock on Yuri's face when she saw that.

"I'm sorry. I just… I don't need that right now" Natsuki sighed, her breath shaky and frantic as tears fell from her eyes. "Why the fuck am I crying?!" She shouted as she aggressively brushed a tear away, looking down at her stained hand. "Am I… am I seriously mourning that asshole?! The same asshole who beat and starved me for no other reason than my mom hating me so much that she left him?! The fuck is wrong with me?!"

"He was still your father, Natsuki. It's only natural for you to feel this way, regardless of who he was or how he acted" Yuri stated, trying to council her friend as best as she could. "Maybe you're remembering better times? He couldn't have always been like that"

"I'm not in the mood for story time" Natsuki sighed as she crossed her arms, turning her head slowly to look at Yuri, her recoiling slightly at the sight of Natsuki's large, swollen black eye. "Yeah. I know it's ugly" She sighed again. "That's the real reason why I didn't come to school. I'm not sick. Couldn't walk into class with this big fucking thing on my face. What was I going to say? I fell into a door?" She grunted in annoyance. "So… what did you do with him?" She asked, Yuri detecting a small amount of concern in Natsuki's voice, as if she did somewhat care about her father's remains.

"I… threw him in the basement…"

"You would" She scoffed in disgust.

"I'm sorry! I just… I couldn't figure out what to do and we couldn't… I mean, I couldn't just bury him in the backyard! Unless… that's what you want to do…"

"Don't even bother. Just… just leave him" Natsuki sighed again as she stood up from the couch, picking up her panda bear soon after. "So, what do I do now? I've packed my bag. Where are you taking me?" She asked, worry obvious in her voice.

"Just… just come on. Everything will be okay, I promise. You just have to trust me" Yuri stated as she stood up as well, taking Natsuki's hands into her own.

* * *

Aaron yawned tiredly as he sat at his desk in his bedroom, a look of annoyance and frustration on his face as his left hand slowly rubbed his temple, a freshly sharpened pencil clutched tightly in the fingers of his right hand, resting atop a single piece of paper, it filled with a single, large paragraph.

A poem that Aaron had been working on over the course of the last few days, made in idle boredom yet still crafted with the effort and dedication of his other works.

Unlike those though, this was a passion project. Not a club assignment like the others. That was work and was meant to be shown off to his peers. This was simply pleasure writing meant for his eyes only. A way of exploring his creativity and honing his craft without having to subject himself to any judgment other than his own.

But still, even if he wouldn't allow anyone else to see it, that didn't mean he wasn't holding it to the same standards of his other written works. Didn't mean that this pleasure writing was allowed to get away with whatever it wanted. Didn't mean that it was above criticism. It was just that the only criticism it would face would be that of its author. An author, mind you, who was very critical of his work. An author who aspired to not only impress his fellow club members, but also himself.

As for the work, it was nothing special. Nothing really noteworthy was to be said about it. It didn't have some deep and complex meaning that needed hours of examination and pondering to understand. It wasn't some fluff piece filled with low thought rhymes and bland meanings. It was just… your average poem. But, just because it was average, didn't mean Aaron didn't care about how it'd turn out, him glaring at the page in frustration as his mind struggled to think of new words and sentences to add to the unfinished poem, this being rather hard for him, as his creative juices seemed to have finally run dry.

His train of thought was interrupted when he heard the knock coming from his front door, the echo carried all the way up the stairs and into his room.

"I guess I could have used a break anyway" He said as he put his pencil down, standing up from his desk and making his way downstairs and into the living room, the pounding on his front door growing louder and louder as he approached. "Alright! I'm coming!" He shouted as he walked up to it, unlocking the door and opening it, only to see Yuri and Natsuki on the other side, standing close together.

"He-hello, Love" Yuri greeted nervously, raising her hand to give a small wave. "Are you busy?" She asked.

"No. No. I'm not" Aaron responded, his eyes looking off to the side to look down at Natsuki, her staring back at him with a blank expression on her face, Aaron noticing that she wore her hair differently than usual, it covering one of her eyes. "What's up?" Aaron asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Can we come inside?" Yuri asked politely, Aaron walking away from the door and into his living room, his hand motioning for the girls to follow.

Yuri entered first, Natsuki following along as she kept her head low, looking down at her feet. She then made her way to the couch and sat herself down on the leftmost side, bringing her knees to her chest and clutching them tightly, Aaron looking at Natsuki oddly as he saw the worried, saddened look on her face.

"You okay?" He asked as he walked up to her, concern in his voice as Natsuki raised her head to look at him, her mouth open and prepared to speak… but the words… Natsuki couldn't think of anything to say. Any way of talking to him. She was just so… overwhelmed. So overwhelmed that her body had trouble functioning. So overwhelmed that she couldn't even think of how to answer him. "Natsuki?" Aaron pressed for an answer, his tone low and gentle, him not wanting to sound too… overbearing, he guessed the word was.

"Y-Yuri needs to talk to you…" Was all Natsuki could force out, her head going back down as she clutched her knees tighter. "D-Don't worry about me. I'm fine. I just… a lot's happened"

"Oh. Okay" Aaron said understandingly, him looking over his shoulder to Yuri, her pointing towards the kitchen before making her way there, Aaron following shortly after. "What's going on?" He asked after the two entered, his voice in a hushed whisper as he stood in the kitchen, an oddly confrontational glare on his face, as if he were somehow angered at Yuri.

Maybe it came from how out of the loop he suddenly became, him angered because of what he saw from Natsuki's actions, her obviously in some form of distress, Aaron being unable to help because he didn't know what the cause of it was.

"I… I'm sorry, Love. Something… something happened and…" Yuri paused to breathe, her mind needing to take a moment to figure out how to explain what was happening to Aaron.

She didn't want to tell him that she murdered Natsuki's father. Didn't want him to know that his sweet, innocent, passive girlfriend had somebody's blood on her hands. Didn't want him to suddenly grow fearful of her because of what she did.

She… she knew Aaron was understanding and if she did tell him, after some quick explaining, he'd understand that Yuri had no choice. It was her life verses someone else's. But… That was a conversation she wasn't even ready to have with herself, let alone with her boyfriend. For now it was… it was just better if he didn't know. It was better if Yuri didn't remind herself. Better if she didn't recall the events. Better to just… bury the memory away deep within her mind.

It wasn't because she thought Aaron couldn't handle hearing it. It was because Yuri couldn't handle telling it. Admitting it. Couldn't even handle thinking about it.

"Well? You gonna tell me or what?" Aaron asked, growing impatient as Yuri made him wait. "Is this about… Natsuki's father?" He assumed. "You… you know what he does to her, right?"

"Ye-yes" Yuri finally spoke. "They had a… falling out. A very, very bad one" She stated vaguely. "Sufficed to say, Natsuki needs a place to stay for a few days. A week or so"

"What?!"

"It's only temporary! I swear! I would actually prefer if she came to live with me! It's just… I need a few days to talk about it with my sisters. Make arrangements and see if they'd agree to take her in. Were it my choice, we wouldn't even be here! But… it's not my choice" Yuri stated with a sigh. "Please? Love, I really need your help right now. So much has happened! So much chaos and… oh god, my head hurts. Ow… It's spiraling out of control!" She grunted in pain as she felt a headache come on, the confrontational glare on Aaron's face removed as he saw his girlfriend in pain, him moving to her side to comfort her.

"Hey. Hey, it's alright. I'm sorry for shouting just then. It was just a little shocking, that's all" Aaron stated, his hand gently rubbing Yuri's shoulder, him trying his best to comfort her. "I'm okay with keeping her around for a week or two. But I need to know more, Yuri. Come on. Sit down on the couch and tell me what happened"

"No! I… I need to go home and rest" Yuri rejected, gently pushing Aaron's hand off her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Love. I'm very, very sorry. I just… I'm overwhelmed. Please, I need to go. Just… just let me go" She pleaded, looking deeply into Aaron's eyes, begging him to just let her leave, him sighing as he stepped back from her.

"Fine" He said, hurt obvious in his voice. "Just… go" He sighed.

"I really am sorry. I want to tell you. I want to tell you everything. Really, I do. But… it's too much right now. Too much for me. Too much for Natsuki. Now is… now is not the time"

"Whatever" Aaron huffed quietly before walking away, Yuri following him quietly, the both of them exiting the kitchen and returning to the living room, only to see that Natsuki hadn't moved an inch the entire time they were talking. She just stared at the floor in front of her, looking lost in her own thoughts, her not even reacting to Aaron and Yuri's return.

"Natsuki?" Yuri asked as she approached slowly.

"Yeah?" She answered quietly, her seemingly not in any sort of trance. She was just being… very still.

"Aaron's allowed you to stay here for a few days while I talk with my family" Yuri stated. "Isn't that nice of him?" She asked.

"Thanks" Was all Natsuki said, her head sinking lower as she sulked, Aaron's head recoiling at that, not liking how Natsuki sounded when she 'thanked' him.

It wasn't like he was fishing for praise or anything by allowing her to stay with him. But at the very least, she could have said more than thanks. Maybe said it with little more… gratitude, he guessed. After all, he was opening his home to her. Temporary or not, not a lot of people tend to do that, especially people who don't even know the reason as to why.

"No problem" Aaron stated, a blank, unreadable look on his face, him glancing at Yuri, only to see her head sink down slightly, as if in shame. "I'm cool with it. You can stay for as long as you need to. What's mine is yours and all that" He said before sighing.

"It's not forever, Natsuki. I just need time to talk to my family about this. Then you can come live with me. We can… we can be like sisters. Would you like that?" Yuri asked, Natsuki glancing at her for a second before looking away.

"I dunno…" She sighed as well. "I guess I don't really have a choice" She said.

"Right… Well, I better get going. I-I really need to rest" Yuri stated, her head turning to look at Aaron, him looking back at her with the same blank look as before. "Thank you, Love. Thank you for taking Natsuki in for the time being. I really am sorry this is so sudden, but a lot's happened and… I don't know exactly what to do"

"It's okay" Aaron stated, his tone deadpanned.

"Regardless. Thank you again, Love. Now… Goodbye" Yuri said as she walked towards the door, Aaron suddenly following her, his hand moving to cover the doorknob before Yuri even had a chance to reach for it, Her looking up into Aaron's eyes.

"Can I at least have a kiss goodbye?" He asked politely, a small frown on his face. "We didn't talk at all today. I… I barely got to see you. The least you can do is give me this" He stated, a small, genuine smile coming to Yuri's face as she grabbed Aaron gently by the cheek, a small blush on her cheeks.

"Yes. Yes, of course you can have a kiss goodbye" She said as she pulled him close, the two sharing a small yet sweet kiss before pulling away from each other. "Goodbye. I love you"

"I love you too" Aaron said as he moved away from the door, allowing Yuri to open it and walk out, Aaron sighing as he watched her leave, shutting the door on the way out, Aaron now left alone with Natsuki, him looking over his shoulder to see her still sitting on the couch, not moving or interacting with anything. Just… sitting there. Zoned out. "You okay over there?" He asked as he took a seat on the opposite side of the couch, Natsuki turning her head to look at him, Aaron able to see the odd and concerning expression on her face

It was… difficult to explain, but it looked like she was scared, confused, exhausted, resentful, angry and somewhat guilt ridden, all of these expressions showing themselves to Aaron at the same time, creating this odd look. This mish-mash of emotions and feelings, Aaron struggling to understand how Natsuki came to have this look. Struggled to even think of why she looked the way she did.

"Ye-Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just… a little shaken up. A lot's happened" Natsuki stated quietly, her finally speaking after a moment of just staring at Aaron, as if she were trying to read the expression on his face like he was trying to read hers.

Aaron did his best to keep himself blank, obviously. Try not to let the way he was feeling show too much. If he did… it'd be insensitive and rude to whatever Natsuki was going through. Might paint a bad picture for his relationship with Yuri too, at least in Natsuki's eyes.

Aaron was… Well, he felt a bit hurt, honestly. He took heavy issue with Yuri keeping him in the dark about whatever was going on, to the point where thinking about it, speculating about it, unnerved him. It made him feel… it made him feel like Yuri didn't trust him. And to somebody who was romantically involved with someone, thinking that your significant other sees you as untrustworthy is very damaging. Very hurtful, Aaron absolutely dumbfounded as to why Yuri would ever think him distrustful.

Granted, their relationship wasn't exactly old enough for that sort of thing. It was like, what? Five days ago that they started dating? Trust issues were bound to arise sooner or later but… Aaron and her went through a lot in those five or so days. Went through more than your average couple, that was for sure.

After all, how many boyfriends have to comfort their girlfriends after they've suffered an attack by what they thought were close friends? Okay, maybe a few. But how many of them also had to discover that their girlfriend was a self-harming masochist who practically got off to…

You know what… never mind. Hurt as he may have been, it was wrong of Aaron to even think of applying those words to Yuri. His girlfriend. His love. His first love actually. In public or even in the safety of his own mind, branding Yuri with such words like that was wrong. He knew that.

Whatever was going on with them, Aaron and her would have to just work it out the old fashioned way. Like they did during the night after the festival. And… if Aaron was lucky… maybe everything would go along exactly like it did the night after the festival.

A small grin grew on his face when he thought about that. Yeah. It'd be nice to do that with her again. To be with her again, Aaron being more… prepared this time.

Regardless, all of these thoughts were getting him off track.

"Like what?" Aaron asked, responding to Natsuki's statement about what had happened, her simply saying 'A lot', Aaron hoping that, with a little pressure, Natsuki would be more forthcoming with the details of the event than Yuri was. At least then, he could get a grasp on the situation. At least then, he could understand what was going on and why Yuri and Natsuki were acting so strange.

Keep in mind that he wasn't digging for drama to gossip about like a schoolgirl. He just wanted to know what was happening so he can have an idea of how he can help.

"How… How much did Yuri tell you?" Natsuki asked.

"Next to nothing" Aaron responded calmly, trying to keep the atmosphere as comfortable as possible for Natsuki. While he was technically trying to pump her for information, that didn't mean he needed to be hostile or forceful in order to get it. "All I know is that you had some sort of fallout with your dad" He stated, seeing Natsuki tense up at the mention of her father, that worrying Aaron slightly, it made clear that even talking about him would unnerve Natsuki greatly. He sighed at that. "I um… I dunno what happened. And maybe you probably don't wanna tell me. That's… that's okay, I guess. I don't want to pressure you into feeling like you have to confess everything to me, but I would like to help you with whatever's the problem. Only… I can't do that if I don't even know what the problem is" He stated, Natsuki sighing as she hung her head down low, a guilt ridden look on her face, her still clutching her legs to her chest.

"I know that… and I'm sorry. Sorry that you're not being told what's going on. Sorry that Yuri just came in here and threw me on you. Sorry that we're acting like complete and total bitches. It's just… so much has happened and… it's honestly really scary" Natsuki stated as she looked up at Aaron, him able to see genuine fear in her eyes. "It's not that we don't want you to know. It's just… so much has happened. I think we're both just really overwhelmed and… really tired"

"Why? What happened? Did you… get into a fight with him?" Aaron asked, just throwing out assumptions at this point.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did" Natsuki sighed as she pulled back the bang covering her eye, moving it behind her ear and looking straight at Aaron, his eyes widening in shock when he saw her face. When he saw the big, swollen, blueish-black eye.

"Oh my god…" Aaron said. "Are you…"

"I'm fine. I've dealt with worst. This… this isn't my first one" Natsuki sighed again, turning her head away as she looked down at her knees. "I don't know why he did it. I swear, I didn't even do anything! Didn't even look at him! Didn't say anything! But he just… lashed out at me. Just jumped me and… gave me this" She said as she pointed to the black eye. "Sometimes I think he just enjoyed hurting me. Maybe it made him feel powerful. Maybe it made him feel in control or something. Like… out of all the things that went wrong in his life, this was the one thing he had control over. Me. Just… not in the right way"

"What's the right way?" Aaron asked cautiously, yet still somewhat confused as to what Natsuki meant. The right way of controlling someone? Like… is there even a right way for that?

"You know… like… mutually, I guess. Like… normal kids do what their parents tell them to do because they love and respect them. They're being controlled by their parents, but the kids know that. And because they love and respect their moms and dads so much, they're okay with it. They're only doing it because they know what's best for us. But… my dad didn't work like that"

"He used fear to control you" Aaron stated, understanding where she was coming from now.

"Yeah. His life is… was… a shambling ruin. Everything just went from bad to worst for him, but at least he kept his daughter in line" Natsuki sighed again. "I dunno. I don't know how he thought. I don't think like he did, so… he could have had a completely different reason for why he hurt me. Doesn't matter anymore"

"I'm sorry, Natsuki" Aaron apologized. "I… I know it's not easy on you, but I'd still like to know what happened. What really happened" He pressed on as politely as he could without sounding demanding or insensitive.

"Yeah yeah. I'm getting to that part" Natsuki said, huffing slightly. "Yuri paid me a visit. She didn't tell me she was going to, by the way. Just walked right up to the house and knocked on the door. She… she saw what he did to me. The way she confronted dad really shocked me. I thought she was supposed to be scared and timid, but the way she puffed out her chest and stood her ground… she looked like a warrior getting ready to charge at the enemy" She stated, chuckling lightly. "I always knew she was a faker. She just does that whole wallflower act to look cute"

"Well if you ask me, I think she was just trying to be like you" Aaron asked, Natsuki looking at Aaron in confusion.

"The hell are you talking about?" She asked.

"Well, you puff your chest out whenever you get confrontational. You tend to act like a warrior charging at the enemy. Like… remember when Yuri got pushed by that girl during the festival? You puffed out your chest, straightened your back and just let that bitch have it. You were merciless. Maybe Yuri was just trying to act like you did" Aaron stated, seeing a small smile come to Natsuki's face, only for it to disappear as quickly as it came, Natsuki remembering what came after Yuri confronted her father.

"Yeah, well for how brave she acted, it only made things worst" She stated as her head sank down again. "She… she threatened to take me away from him. Told him to just hand me over and I'd be out of his hair forever. Then… I dunno. He just snapped. Charged at her and…"

"And what?" Aaron asked, his back rising up and straightening after hearing that, a nervous look on his face.

"He… he put his hands on her neck. He tried to choke her!"

"She didn't get hurt, did she?! She's not hurt, right?!" Aaron asked in concern.

"No. No, she's fine. Better than dad, that's for sure. She… she ki… I mean… she grabbed a vase and hit him on the head!" Natsuki said, stopping herself before she said to much, now opting to craft a lie. "Yeah! She bonked him so hard, his fat ass hit the floor! Got knocked unconscious! Then I packed a bag and we ran here! Yeah! I… I ran away! I ran away and I'm never going back!" Natsuki said as she stood up from the couch, a pout on her face as she put her hands on her hips.

"Wa-Wait… That's it? You just ran away? Didn't bother calling the police? If he gave you a black eye, that's child abuse! If he put his hands on Yuri, that's assault! Those are crimes! He needs to be arrested!" Aaron stated as he stood up from the couch as well, slightly outraged that neither Natsuki or Yuri thought of calling the authorities in order to lock away this complete and utter madman. This deranged freak who had nothing better to do than beat up young women!

"N-no!" Natsuki shouted, jumping back slightly in shock, Aaron looking at her oddly for that. "I-I mean… what would that do? Best case scenario, he'd get thrown in a cell for a week! A month if we were lucky! And I'd… I'd probably be thrown into foster care. Be made an orphan or… maybe would have ended up living on my own. And I… I don't want that. I don't like being alone" Natsuki said, her tone growing more somber at the thought of being on her own. "So just… just let him rot all alone. See if I care! Because I don't!" She huffed again as she sat back down on the couch, a grin on her face as she crossed her arms.

"Natsuki…"

"Look Aaron, I'm grateful for the room and board. Or… couch and board, I guess. But I don't wanna talk about it anymore! I just wanna… I just want a chance to sit down and sort myself out. Okay?" Natsuki sighed. "I… I get that you're just trying to make me feel better, but I really don't wanna talk anymore. I'm sorry"

"It's alright. I understand" Aaron sighed as well. "I'll be in the back room. If you need anything, you let me know" He said as he walked away, giving Natsuki a moment to herself. A moment to sort herself out, as she put it.

He sighed again as he took a second look at her before leaving the room, him gazing over his shoulder to see her move into a laying position, a slightly angered and fed up look on her face as she gazed up at the ceiling. Aaron felt sorry for her. Really, he did.

While he knew he'd be scolded by her if she knew he felt that way, he couldn't exactly help it. I mean, yeah, Natsuki's annoying, bossy, demanding and even downright mean at times, but did that mean she deserved all of that? Did that mean she deserved having to live with an abusive father? Did that mean she deserved to have her mother walk out on her? Did that mean she deserved to be looked upon by her family and branded as an accident?

Aaron didn't think so. Aaron didn't think she deserved any of that. But… life's unfair that way. It's cold. It's cruel. It's hard… and it plays favorites more times than it should. It was only natural for Aaron to feel pi… to feel sympathy for her.

He wondered if there was a way to cheer her up somehow. A way to get rid of that angered, stressed out look on her face. Away to make her smile, if only for a minute.

An idea then suddenly came into his head, a grin coming on as well as he pulled out his cellphone and dialed a number, making a call. After his call was finished, he then walked up into his room and opened his closet door, rooting around until he found what he was looking for, a large box he kept in the very back of his closet. A sort of… treasure trove, if you will. This large box carrying many relics from Aaron's past, him searching it for one in particular.

As he searched through the box, the sound of a doorbell echoed from downstairs, Aaron surprised at how fast they arrived. He only placed the order a few minutes ago.

"Aaron! Door!" Natsuki shouted from downstairs.

"Yeah. Can you get it for me? Don't worry. It's already been paid for"

"Already been paid for? You bought something?" Natsuki asked as she walked up to the door, her making sure to cover her black eye with her hair before answering it though.

"Pizza delivery!" The delivery boy exclaimed as Natsuki opened the door, her shocked to see him carrying not one but three full pies! All of them in their own boxes! The fresh smell of them causing Natsuki's stomach to growl hungrily. How… how long had it even been since she had pizza? God, not since she was a little girl. "I got three of 'em here for an Aaron" The delivery boy stated.

"Ye-yeah. Yeah, give 'em here" Natsuki said as she took the boxes. "And these have been paid for already, right?"

"Yep. Well, have a good night!" The boy said as he walked away, Natsuki closing the door with her foot before walking back into the living room, carrying the pies with both hands, setting them down on the coffee table.

"Alright. You got them!" Aaron stated happily as he came into the living room, carrying with him something as well, Natsuki looking at him in surprise when she saw it. An old video game console. Small, square in shape. Colored purple with a carrying handle on the back, a large jumble of wires alongside it. As well as two controllers.

"What's all this?" Natsuki asked as she looked at the console.

"Oh, this? Just an old game me and Sayori used to play when we were kids. I figured it could help you cheer up. I know video games always helped me. The pizza's just because I'm hungry but… I can't cook. Anything. You can have as much as you like, by the way. I ordered enough for both of us" Aaron said as he walked past Natsuki, moving towards the living room television in order to set up his console.

"Three whole pizzas?" Natsuki asked.

"Yeah. I figured you were gonna be pretty hungry. Go on. Dig in. I'll set this up and you and me can play whatever you want. It'll be fun. I promise"

* * *

"You've been in there for quite a while. I'm starting to get worried. Are you feeling alright, Sister? Do you think you need to pay a visit to a hospital?"

"No! No, I'm fine. I'm just… my stomach's just not feeling very well right now! It must be something I ate at school! I-I'll be okay!" Yuri shouted from the other side of the bathroom door, trying to assure her older sister that she was fine. "It's just a stomach ache. That's all" She stated, her trying her best to hold back the bile as it forced itself up her throat, Yuri trying as hard as possible to just force it back down. To prevent it from coming up, her head dangling over the toilet bowl the entire time.

"Do you think you'll feel well enough for dinner?" Her sister, Yuna, asked, the response she received being the very audible sound of Yuri vomiting into the toilet. "I'll take that as a no. Are you sure you don't want to go to a hospi-"

"Yuna! Please!" Yuri cut her off. "Just… just leave me be!" She shouted from the other side of the door again, her older sister sighing as she shook her head, a saddened and concerned look on her face.

"Okay. If you need anything, you let me know right away" She said before walking away from the door, doing as her younger sister commanded and leaving her be, Yuri gasping as she felt another urge to vomit coming on, her unable to hold it back as she knelt in front of the toilet, vomiting into it for what she counted as the fourth time.

"Oh dear god, please stop!" She begged as she breathed in and out heavily, tiredly, her unable to hold down practically anything in her body, it forcing itself to immediately upchuck and vomit whatever it had sitting around in its digestive system.

It was… It was her body reacting to… the corpse. The body of Natsuki's father, Yuri unable to get the sight of it out of her head. Unable to prevent her mind from replaying the moment over and over again, her looking back on that memory in utter disgust, the bile rising in her throat time and time again as the memory constantly played over and over in her mind, like it was stuck on an infinite loop, Yuri unable to will this memory away no matter how hard she tried.

She tried to think about something else. About anything else. Tried to think about books. School. Her studies. Aaron. Natsuki. Sayori. Anything! Anything at all! But it… he… just kept coming back and back. Just kept forcing that memory back in her mind, almost as if Yuri were being haunted by the man's vengeful spirit, it constantly reminding her that she was guilty of committing the ultimate crime. It constantly reminding her that she was a murderer.

"No! Not again!" She practically cried before another vomit came on, this one actually causing Yuri pain, her gasping for breath as she leaned against the toilet bowl, her so tired and worn out that she barely had the energy to hold herself up. Barely had the energy to support her own weight. "Please… please, no more! Enough! I can't take it!" She pleaded, begging her body to stop reacting this way. Begging her mind to stop replaying this horrible memory over and over again. Begging it to let her forget. Begging it to give her the chance to wash away the heavy guilt she felt weigh her down.

She… she knew she had no choice. She knew he was going to kill her. She was going to be choked to death! Literally anyone else in her situation would have done the same! Thought the same! Acted the same! So why? Why does she still feel this gnawing, crippling, burdening guilt inside her?! Why does it still weight her down?! Why is she still gripped with shock and fatigue?! Why does the guilt make her feel like a colony of parasites are eating their way out of her stomach?! All because she tried to defend herself?! To defend her own life?!

Or… was there another way? Was there another, safer way? A way to prevent the death of Natsuki's father? A way to rid Natsuki of that horrible man without taking his life in the process?

Was such a way possible? She honestly wished she could have found out. But… her body, her instincts, chose the short and quick answer to the problem she faced, rather than working to see if there was an alternative. Maybe there wasn't. But… that still didn't give Yuri the justification she needed to live down what she'd done. Her morality when it came to things like this… it was sadly too cut and dry. Too defined and specified. Too straight and narrow. Not flexible in the slightest.

To her, it didn't matter whether it was self defense or not. Didn't matter if it was conscious thought or pure instinct that ruled her in that moment. Murder was murder. A life was a life. A human is a human, regardless of how horrid they may have acted in said life.

Who was Yuri to decide who lived and died? Who gave her the right to make this judgment? Who let her make this call? Who gave her the power to take someone else's life away from them, all while she went on continuing to live her own? Nobody. Nobody told her that she could do this. Nobody allowed her to break one of if not the most important law of society. Nobody gave her permission to commit such an awful sin!

A sin that… **A sin that she needed to repent.**

"Wh-What?" She gasped in shock as that thought came to her mind, her not feeling as if it were actually her own. It felt… artificial. Like a… fake thought? Something that was forced into her mind. Something her brain was forced to process.

Repent? What… what did it mean by repent? Repent in what way?! How… **how could a filthy murderer like her ever repent such a horrible sin?** And even then, what good would repentance do for her? It wouldn't wipe the slate clean. Wouldn't wash Yuri of all **her filth.** Wouldn't bring that dead man back to life. No… All she'd end up doing would be reaffirming her guilt. She'd only end up making it worst on herself.

The best course of action was to obviously try to move on from this. Move on and forget about it. Distract herself from it. Try to find some way to forget about how she **ripped a poor old man away from his daughter, stood over him and watched as he took his final breath, only to end up having his corpse thrown down into a dark, dank old basement. Left to rot and decay. Not even given the decency of a proper burial. Proper cremation. Eulogy.** **Just left as food for the rats. Forgotten.**

What… what was Yuri supposed to do?! She never wanted to kill him! Never even wanted to fight with him! It just… it just happened! Yuri couldn't have stopped it. Couldn't have controlled it. If she could, this wouldn't be happening.

 **You're right. There was nothing that could have been done. But that doesn't mean you can just ignore the fact that you murdered someone. That you took away their life. That you robbed them of theirs while you live on in yours. Happily, I may add.**

"I… I…"

 **The arrogance of it. The way you're just trying to dismiss someone's life! The way you're trying to just go about your day! How you're trying to forget your crime! It's disgusting. Disgusting how you feel such little empathy. Such little sympathy or sorrow for others. Abusive or not, you killed a father and abducted a young girl! Dumped her off at your boyfriend's house too!**

"A-Aaron…"

 **That poor boy. My poor Aaron… I love how you just kept him in the dark about everything. How you just ignored the concern he showed for you. How you ignored the attention he gave you! A boyfriend is supposed to be there to comfort you when you need it. To love you when you need to be loved. To be there for you. And more importantly, you're supposed to let him do this. You're supposed to show him that you see the effort he puts in. You're supposed to be happy that he cares.**

 **You're supposed to share this care and concern with him… but all you did was just push him away. Push him away from you and dump some whiny, annoying teenager on him. All without even an answer as to why.**

"No. No, that's not… I couldn't! He'd… he'd…"

 **He'd call you a murderer? Why wouldn't he? That's what you are! That's all you'll ever be now! That is… until you repent. And you know exactly how to do that. How to cleanse yourself. How to rid yourself of the filthy sin you've committed**.

"No… No, please! I… I can't! I don't want to!" Yuri shouted in fear as she turned her head, only to see her reflection in the bathroom mirror staring back, her able to see the look of pure terror on her face.

 **You know what you must do.**

"Please! Please, don't make me do this! I can't! I won't!"

"Yuri? Are you okay in there? Is something wrong? Why are you shouting?" Yuna asked in concern from the other side of the door, Yuri beginning to sweat nervously as she felt a rush of anxiety, her heart beginning to race. So much so, that you could hear the beating, it getting faster and faster as Yuri's anxiety built up, her now breathing rapidly and unevenly, on the verge of hyperventilation, her clutching her chest tightly, gripping the flesh covering her heart, so much so that her manicured nails began digging into her skin as she felt her heart beat so fast and hard, as if it were trying to burst out of her chest.

 **Oh no! Someone's getting nervous! You look like you're on the verge of a panic attack! You should deal with that before someone sees you acting like this. What was that old trick you used to do? The one you'd sneak away from everyone for when you got all nervous and anxious. The one that always seemed to calm you down.**

"I… No! No, damn you!" Yuri shouted loudly as she gripped her wrist deathly tight, trying to restrain it from touching anything. Trying to keep it under control. "I won't let you do this to me! I'm stronger than you! I'm done with that! Never! Never again!" She yelled, trying as hard as possible to fight against her baser urges, the struggle getting more and more difficult.

"Yuri?!" Yuna cried out. "What's going on in there?! Why are you screaming?! Open this door right now!"

 **Oh come on. What's the harm in it? The only person you're hurting is yourself. And you want that anyway. It feels good. It calms you down. Mellows you out. It's nice. There's no harm in just one. Little. Cut.**

"There's… **T̷̺̭̊̚h̸̩̊͝ẻ̷̬̈́r̵̹͐ẻ̷̖͋'̶̼̯͒̚s̵̤̤̈́ ̸̤̃n̴̗͇͠o̷̘̲͊͝ ̴̜̦̅̇h̶̺͌a̸̮͂̂r̷̭̾m̸̹͑͝ ̶̪̮̐͂i̶̜̅ǹ̶̨ ̴͚͔̃j̷̰̣͒̀u̴̝̩̎s̸̫̅̕ṯ̷́̆.̶͎͌.̷̖̩̔.̸͈̳͌̍ ̴̛͈ọ̴̺̚ṇ̴̠͊e̸̯̖̕ ̸̳̈́l̵̛͚͆ì̷̝t̶̯̮͂̈́t̷͙̯̀͆l̶̅̂͜ẹ̸̞̀̄ ̸̱̩̏͒c̸͙͌̊ǘ̷̮͕͝t̸̻͉͑̕"** Yuri said, her voice lowering in volume, monotone as she looked at herself in the mirror, seeing the look of pure terror and fear on her face, her suddenly powerless to control herself, feeling like a spectator in her own body. A prisoner with no control of her actions as she watched her shaking hand slowly clench into a fist, only to see it punch the mirror as hard as possible, watching it shatter and crack as her fist made contact, Yuri mindlessly pulling out one of the jagged shards of the mirror, an utterly terrified look on her face as she gripped it in her hand. Gripped it so tightly that her palm started bleeding, cut by the edges of the jagged glass.

 **Do it**

Yuri began crying as she forced her eyes closed, feeling the fabric of her sleeve run up her forearm before…

"Please no…" She begged herself meekly, only to start screaming at the top of her lungs as the large shard of glass was rammed into her arm, blood gushing out immediately as Yuri struggled to handle the pain. The intense pain as she made this large gash. This laceration in her body.

"Yuri?!" Yuna began pounding against the bathroom door.

 **Do it again.**

She screamed louder as she gripped the shard tighter, running it slowly, painfully, all the way down from her wrist to her elbow, the bandages Aaron had placed from before now falling off her arm, unraveling strip by strip, the glass having cut right through it.

"YURI?!"

 **AGAIN! MORE! SCREAM, WHORE! SCREAM!**

Yuri screamed in pure agony as she began forcefully pulling the shard out and ramming it back into her arm multiple times, her blood spurting out from the long laceration as she just kept stabbing over and over uncontrollably. Just kept going and going, regardless of how excruciating the pain was for her.

"YURI! OPEN THIS DOOR NOW OR I'LL BREAK IT DOWN!" Her older sister shouted at the top of her lungs, her preparing to ram herself into the bathroom door in order to open it, her trying and failing multiple times, only to eventually succeed, the door swinging open as Yuna burst in, only to gasp in fear and shock when she saw Yuri stabbing herself mercilessly with the jagged shard of glass from the bathroom mirror, her face and the bathroom floor specked in blood. "Yuri?! What are you doing?! Trying to kill yourself?! Stop! STOP!" Yuna shouted as loud as possible as she grabbed Yuri by the wrist, trying to stop her younger sister from stabbing herself so violently.

"LEAVE ME ALONE! GO AWAY! LEAVE ME BE!" Yuri screamed at the top of her lungs as she struggled to break free.

"No! You need to stop!" Yuna shouted as she tried to force the shard out of Yuri's hand. "I. SAID. STOP!" She yelled as she smacked Yuri across the face with the back of her hand, Yuri yelping in pain as a red mark formed on her cheek, Yuna now able to seize the glass shard, throwing it away in the trash can. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" She shouted loudly at Yuri, seeing the odd, dazed and confused look on the girl's face, Yuri looking as if she just suffered a nightmare, only to wake up in an unfamiliar place. "Look at me! Look at me now!" Yuna commanded as she grabbed Yuri by the shoulders, shaking her forcefully.

"I… I can… I was… I…" Yuri stammered, unable to form a proper sentence as Yuna glared at her, her eyes stone cold, angered and enraged at her sister's actions.

"You were stabbing yourself. Why?! Why would you do that?! Are you suicidal or something?! Why would you do that to yourself?!"

"I… I…" Yuri chocked on her words, unable to even speak now as tears began forming under her eyes.

"Answer me, goddammit!"

"I'm sorry!" Yuri cried as she pulled herself into her older sister, crying into her shirt as she placed her head above Yuna's chest. "I'm so sorry! I just… I'm disgusting, I know! I'm a freak! A self harming, masochistic freak! I tried to stop it, Yuna! I tried to get better! I really did! But I can't! I can't because this is who I am! I'm stuck like this forever!" She began weeping, her older sister looking down on her, a saddened frown on her face as she sighed, wrapping her arms around her younger sister and beginning to gently stroke her back.

"Oh, sweetie… No, you're not stuck like this. No, this is not who you are. No, you're not disgusting and no, you're not a freak" Yuna said, trying to comfort her younger sister. "Yuri, how long have you been doing this? Hurting yourself"

"For as long as I can remember. I don't… I don't even remember the reason. I do it just because. Just because I'm some freak!"

"No, Yuri. No, you're not" Yuna said softly as she gently pulled her sister away, holding her head by the chin with one hand, picking it up while the other gently wiped away a tear. "You're not a freak. You're just… sick. That's all. Your head. Your mind, it's… not feeling well" Yuna stated, trying to be as polite in her statement as possible, Yuri only responding by sniffing slightly. "These things happen, okay? Happen to a lot of people. There are many, many other people who go through the same thing. Have the same sickness. But there's a way to cure it. To make it better. There are doctors. People we can go to. People who can fix you. Make you well again"

"No!" Yuri rejected immediately, pushing herself away from her sister. "Don't do that to me. Don't! Please!" She begged pathetically. "I won't do it! I won't have some hack psychologist poke and prod at my brain like a damned science experiment! I won't sit there and let some complete stranger force words and ideas into my head!"

"Yuri, don't you want to get better?" Yuna asked, her frown still persisting. "If it really has been going on for so long… this needs to stop. I won't let you hurt yourself like this for no reason! You could have killed yourself if I didn't break down that door! Is that what you want?! For me to find you dead in the bathroom?! For your baby sister to find you dead?!"

"Did somebody call me?" Yuki asked as she poked her head through the door frame.

"No!" Yuna stated as she crossed her arms. "Go to your room right now, Yuki. And don't come out until I say so" She commanded, Yuki looking at her in slight shock, the little girl thinking she was being punished.

"Why? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, sweetheart. You didn't do anything wrong. It's… it's your sister. Just… stay in your room, okay?" She asked politely, Yuki sighing as she walked away, returning to her bedroom. "As for you…" Yuna glared as she turned to face Yuri, walking past her and towards the broken mirror above the bathroom sink, opening the medicine cabinet to pull out a first aid kit. "Come on. Let's get that sterilized and wrapped up before it gets infected. I'll clean up your mess later" She said as she walked out of the bathroom, Yuri slowly following her into the living room, taking a seat on the couch as Yuna prepared to clean Yuri's wound.

It was nothing like how Aaron did it. Nothing like how he did it at all, Yuri's older sister being much more… rough than he would have been. Where Aaron was thorough, meticulous and gentle, Yuna was sloppy, rushed and rather hard, the bandages being much tighter than Yuri would have liked.

Though she wasn't one hundred percent satisfied with the care her older sister provided, she tried her best not to hold it against her. After all… walking in on that. On her younger sister violently stabbing her arm multiple times… it no doubt had an effect on Yuna. Threw her on edge. Scared her even, her thinking that Yuri would have probably killed herself, were her sister not there to stop her.

That may have very well been the case too.

God, just thinking about it sent chills down Yuri's spine, the thought of her killing herself like that. Ramming glass into her arm over and over until she bled out. The thought of it alone sent her head into a spin, especially when she struggled to find out why.

Why had she been so suddenly overpowered by the urge to cut into herself again? Why did she allow it to go that far? Why did she not stop, even as her sister was pounding the door in?

It… It almost felt as if Yuri wasn't actually the one doing those things though. In that moment… her mind was not her own. It was not under her control. She was not in power of it. Not in command of her faculties. Of her body. Hell, her very own thoughts. The voices inside her head didn't even sound like hers. It sounded like they were… something else. Someone else.

It felt like in that very moment, Yuri was no better than a puppet on strings, putting on a ghastly and disturbing show for some sick, sadistic audience that stood on the edge of their seats, begging for more of this… disgusting display. Begging to see more suffering. To see more pain befall Yuri. And her, feeling like a captive in her own body, had no choice but to obey the sick audience watch her horrid display. To give them what they wanted.

It felt so overwhelming. The idea of her suddenly losing control of herself. Granted, she's lost control before, if you remember from a certain late night… but it's never been this bad.

She sighed as she hung her head low in shame. Aaron… She… she failed him. He gave her a task. A mission. A command. And she disobeyed.

He just… he just wanted her to stop. To stop hurting herself for her… sick fetish. Wanted her to stop being in pain. That was all he wanted. That was all he asked for from her in exchange for his love and care. But… she didn't give him that. She didn't give him what he wanted. He wanted results. Improvements. But now, All Yuri's done is take their progress, all the work they'd been doing on getting her well, and tossed it out the window, her now back where she started, only difference being that it is much more severe and now, life threatening.

The thought of that… dying by the hands of herself. By cutting herself. It scared her greatly. You'd think that to be a good thing, right? You'd think the fear would keep her away. Keep her from doing it again. Keep her in line.

But we all know that's not going to be the case. Never is.

"You aren't saying anything" Yuna stated as she sat beside Yuri.

"What do you expect me to say?" She asked, her older sister opening her mouth to speak, only to end up shutting it, Yuna unable to think of anything to say as the two sisters stared each other down, Yuna eventually standing up from the couch, breaking eye contact from Yuri as she turned her back to her younger sister.

"We'll talk about this tomorrow. When… when everyone's calmed down" She sighed again. "I know… I know you didn't mean to do it. It's some… weird urge for you, isn't it? Some base craving you've allowed yourself to obsess over"

"Yuna… Sister…"

"I won't have it. Not here. Not in my home. Not in front of me and not in front of your baby sister" Yuna stated firmly, enforcing her authority as the oldest of the family and owner of their home. "More importantly, I won't allow you to do this to yourself. To do this to your body. It stops now, Yuri. And we're going to make it stop. I'm going to schedule an appointment for you tomorrow, after school. A doctor. A psychologist. Psychiatrist. A shrink. Whatever you need to see in order to get better!"

"I… I can't…"

"I'm not giving you a choice!" Yuna stated, raising her voice slightly in anger, Yuri taken aback by that slightly, knowing how rare it is that Yuna shouts. This must have really upset her. "You could have died. Killed yourself on accident… or on purpose. I don't know yet. I just… I'm scared now, Yuri. Scared that something like that may actually happen"

"I-it won't! I'm… I'm in control! I swear! I just… something made me lose my nerv-"

"I've already lost my mother and father. Don't let me lose one of my sisters too. You. Yuki. You're all I have left"

"I'm… I'm sorry" Yuri apologized meekly, a small frown on her face as she hung her head low in sadness, the thought of her mother and father entering Yuri's mind, triggering flashbacks of the past. The times when she and Yuna were just little girls. Carefree and happy with both of their parents by their sides. But now… now not so much. Now they're all worried. Stressed. Burdened… and alone, having only each other for any real comfort.

A low blow, really. Mentioning their dead parents. Bringing them into this, Yuna using them to win the argument. To silence Yuri. To make her do as her older sister commanded. Maybe it wasn't Yuna's intention… but that didn't mean it didn't have that effect.

"Go to bed" The older sister commanded, Yuri sighing as she turned around and began walking down the hall, towards her bedroom.

"Goodnight" Yuri said quietly before reaching the door, entering her room and preparing for bed. She skipped out on brushing her teeth and fixing her hair, due to the bathroom still being… messy. Not to mention the now broken mirror would make it hard to do her nightly routine. So, she instead just stripped to her underwear, a simple, matching purple bra and panties, and went to bed, her covering herself in her blankets as she laid her head on her pillow, trying to fall asleep.

She tried for what felt like hours. Tossed and turned like crazy. Changed sleeping positions constantly, much to the dismay of her back, Yuri grunting and groaning in annoyance as she failed to fall asleep. It was all that… adrenaline from before. It was still in her system, on top of the shock and anxiety.

She eventually huffed as she gave up, her arms angrily falling to her sides, a glare on her face as she stared at the ceiling above. Gazed at it intently as her mind tried to think of ways to help her fall asleep.

Her glare faded as her eyebrows slowly rose, an idea coming to her. But… it wasn't one that she would normally try, were she not desperate to put this night behind her, Yuri sighing as she grabbed her cellphone from her nightstand and dialed a number.

She knew this was a bad time to be making phone calls, Yuri most likely waking up the person on the other line. Still though, she was desperate.

"Hello?" Aaron answered with a yawn, exhaustion in his voice.

"Hello, Love" Yuri said softly, the sound of Aaron's voice through the phone calming her slightly. Put her at ease. "Did I wake you?" She asked.

"No. You were about to, though. I was just about to go to bed. So what's up? What's with the late night call?"

"Nothing. Nothing really. I just… wanted to check up on you. Make sure you were okay. Is um… Is Natsuki there? Is she alright?" Yuri asked, concern in her voice.

"Yeah. She's fine. I fixed her a spot on the couch. Cheered her up from whatever was bothering her too. We ordered pizza and played video games all night" Aaron stated, Yuri smiling slightly as she heard that, happy to know Natsuki was alright.

"Sounds like you both had fun. I'm glad"

"Yeah. It was pretty fun. You should have stayed with us. Hung out, you know?"

"I should have. I'm… I'm sorry, Love. I just wasn't feeling good. Wasn't feeling good at all. But I should have stayed with you. I should have definitely stayed with you" Yuri sighed in regret, thinking that if she stayed with Aaron, all of this might not have happened. He'd have been there. He would have helped. He would have known what to do. "I'm so sorry" She apologized.

"It's okay" Aaron stated.

"No. No, it's not. I… I'm sorry for the way I treated you, Aaron. That was wrong of me. I should have been straight and forward with you. You should have known everything right then, right there. But… I was scared"

"Natsuki told me a little bit. Something about you getting attacked by her father. But… she went silent after that. Like something horrible happened. It looked like she witnessed a mur… Yuri… please tell me you didn't"

"I had no choice…" Yuri said as she started crying, guilt ridden tears beginning to form under her eyes, mainly do to the fact that she had to confess her sin not to herself, but to her love. Confess to him and be judged. "He had his hands on my neck, Aaron! He was going to…"

"Oh. That's uhh… that's different then. Never mind" Aaron dropped it quickly, the circumstances now known to him. "I can understand now. If I did the same, I wouldn't have told you"

"I didn't want to" Yuri admitted.

"I know you didn't"

"Do you still love me?" She asked.

"Yes" Aaron stated. "It's self defense, Yuri. You were protecting yourself. That's not a crime"

"I know it's not. But… it doesn't change what I've done. Or how I feel about it" Yuri said as she pulled out a box of tissues, using them to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Please. Let's talk about something else. Anything else. I can't… I can't take thinking about it anymore"

"Okay. Okay. We'll change topics. What do you wanna talk about?" Aaron asked.

"I can't sleep. I've tried. I just end up tossing and turning. I need your help, Love"

"My help? How?"

"Will you… will you read to me? Will you read me one of your poems? Please? Just until I fall asleep" She requested meekly, hearing Aaron chuckle slightly, no doubt thinking it to be cute.

"Alright. Let me just see what I can find off the-"

"No. I want to hear one of your poems" Yuri specified. "I want to hear your words. Your expressions. Your work. Someone else's isn't the same" She stated, Aaron sighing at that.

"Alright. Let me grab my notebook here and pick out a poem for you. Any one will do?" He asked as he grabbed his notebook, Yuri soon hearing the sound of ruffling sheets soon after, Aaron most likely now laying in his bed.

"Anything, as long as it's yours" Yuri stated, a small smile finally coming onto her face, eager to hear Aaron read to her.

"Okay then. Let's see here. Um… not that one. Nope. This one's not done yet. A few sentences need to be redone here. This one's all over the place. This one! Ooh, you'll like this one!" Aaron said enthusiastically, Yuri still smiling as she awaited it. "I um… I kinda thought about you when I wrote it. That's a bit cheesy, I know. But inspiration is inspiration. I tried to see if I can copy your style. Make it sound like something you would have wrote. I hope you like it. Okay… here we go"

* * *

 **The Lilac In The Heavy Winter Wind**

 **A poem by Aaron**

–

The winter's months have come and the snow falls hard as the wind blows rough. Cruel. Angry. Like the season itself is filled with an unbridled rage.

O' how the heavy winter wind blows. O' how the heavy winter wind snows.

O' how the heavy winter wind goes.

The plants, it kills. The tree's, it wilts. The fire, it snuffs. The water in the pipes, it freezes and the people in their homes, it forces them to stay.

O' how the heavy winter wind blows. O' how the heavy winter wind snows.

O' how the heavy winter wind goes.

O' winter wind, you are cold and cruel. O' winter wind, you play nature for a fool. You dominate the land in a tyranny not even the power hungry wish for. Be banished, wicked wind and bring spring once more.

Yet the wind runs its course, much to all our dismay.

The plants, it kills. The tree's, it wilts. The fire, it snuffs. The water in the pipes, it freezes and the people in their homes, it forces them to stay.

Yet there is one that survived. One that refuses to leave its home. Even when the odds are against it. When the creatures hibernate and the birds migrate. Search for a new place to roam.

A single plant still stood. A flower still in bloom. A simple lilac fought with the wind, even in the face of its doom.

The cold killed its friends, of this there was no doubt. Without the warm sun and the fresh water, they all withered. Fell, yet the lilac still stood stout.

O' how the heavy winter wind blows. O' how the heavy winter wind snows.

O' how the heavy winter wind goes.

The plants, it kills. The tree's, it wilts. The fire, it snuffs. The water in the pipes, it freezes and the people in their homes, it forces them to stay.

Yet the lilac, it could not wilt away. A storm it summoned in anger. A blizzard to kill the lilac frail, sharp winds left and right, up and down. A harrowing, deadly gale.

Yet the lilac stood strong and braved the cold. It faced the deadly winds head on and fought against them so bold.

As the winds blew up and down, side to side, not one petal off the lilac would fall, even as the blizzard raged on, not even slightly did the lilac wilt at all.

O' little lilac in the heavy winter wind, its petals soft to the touch. O' little lilac in the heavy winter wind, cease your struggle, for it is too much. It is too much to watch you suffer and fight. Give up your defiant stand against the winter wind. Do not face this blizzard anymore. Wilt away, so that you may bloom again in peace come spring's first day.

It became a spectacle to the people, the lilac's fight against the winter wind. The battle it had against the elements in its fight to survive. Some people took inspiration from it. From its ability to thrive.

It was a simple flower. Mindless and unfeeling. Yet it fought for its survival so fiercely, it's courage having no rival.

The people, for all their power and might, were brought to mercy by the wind. Trapped in their homes and forced to stay. Themselves and their children confined to their homes, locked away.

Yet this lilac, this flower so small, fought and faced the wind, suffering not from the cold at all.

"If a simple flower could live this free…" The people thought. "Why not we?"

And so they worked to join the battle against the heavy winter wind. To fight as the lilac did. Survive the winter's gale. Survive like that simple flower so frail.

The children would gather round the plant to watch it fight. To see it face the wind with all its might.

O' little lilac in the heavy winter wind, its petals soft to the touch. Keep fighting, O' little lilac. Strong little lilac. For to see you wither away now would be too much. O' brave lilac. Strong lilac. The flower that would not wilt away. Continue your fight. Continue your struggle so that you may bloom twice as much come spring's first day.

* * *

"You still awake?" Aaron asked after finishing his poem, only to smile slightly as he heard Yuri snore gently on the other side of the line, Aaron happy to know he succeeded in putting her to sleep. Kind of a shame that he did though. He was looking forward to hearing her thoughts on his work. Either way, he was just glad he had done as he was asked. "Good night, Yuri. I love you" He said before hanging up, putting his phone and notebook away before getting under his bed covers, falling asleep himself soon after.


	13. Anxiety

"Hey, Dad! I'm home!" Natsuki announced as she walked through her front door, returning home from an exhausting school day, a small yet tired smile on her face as she hung her backpack on the wall hook near the door, her happy to be home. Happy to be away from School, the club, all of it, Natsuki able to commit the rest of her day towards relaxation. "Where are you?" She asked as she looked around the living room, barely able to see due to how dark it was, the thick, gray fog outside blocking the sun, preventing any light from shining in through the windows, causing the entire house to take on a dark gray tint.

"I'm in the dining room. Dinner's ready!" Natsuki's father announced, the sound of his voice echoing through the hallway, Natsuki smiling brightly as she heard that.

"About time! I'm starving!" She stated as she eagerly dashed through the hallway, able to smell the delicious scent of the food all the way from the living room, her stomach growling fiercely as she finally made her way to the dining room, seeing a literal feast laid out for her. More than enough for a whole crowd of people to eat. Platters upon platters of meats, poultry, vegetables, pasta. If it was edible, it was there on the table, waiting to be eaten.

"There's my little princess" Natsuki's father smiled happily as he came into the dining room, looking down at his daughter with pure love in his eyes. A look Natsuki had almost never seen before. It was an odd… but welcome sight. He looked so… happy. So happy to see her. So happy to have his daughter home, safe and sound. "Well, aren't you going to eat? I slaved away on all this food just for you, Sweetie! Eat up!" He said with a smile as he pulled out a chair for his daughter, Natsuki sitting down and watching as her father filled her plate with as much food as possible, Natsuki's mouth watering, salivating as he kept adding more and more before laying it down in front of her.

"Thank you!" Natsuki said in appreciation, her father's smile only seeming to grown as he heard that. "Are you going to sit down too?" She asked.

"Oh, I will. But… you should be the one to eat first. I made this for you, after all. Don't worry about me. You go ahead and eat"

"Oh. Okay then" Natsuki said as she picked up her fork and knife, carving into the various foods on her plate, beginning to stuff her face, eating like a starved animal as her father stood behind her, looking down as she ate, still smiling.

"Hungry little thing, aren't you? You must have worked yourself so hard today. I can understand why you'd have such an appetite" Her father stated. "And do you like the food?" He asked.

"Mhm! It's delicious!" Natsuki stated, talking with her mouth full, her quickly swallowing everything down before stuffing her face again, her plate not even close to empty as she continued eating, practically devouring the food.

It wasn't until her third helping that she suddenly gagged, her unable to swallow her food as she felt something… wiggling. Something small and slimy, Natsuki quickly spitting out the food in disgust, looking at the chewed mash, only to see a small maggot wiggle its way out, Natsuki holding back the urge to vomit as her eyes widened in shock, her looking back at her plate to find it full of maggots! Them coming out of the large steak she had been eating from and spreading all over her plate! She backed away from the table in disgust and shock as she found more of the repulsive larvae coming out of the rest of the food, the entire table covered in them!

"Oh god…" Natsuki gasped in shock, only to then feel the bile begin to rise in her throat, her trying as hard as possible to force it down. To prevent herself from vomiting, even though she knew her food had been infested with larvae.

"Aww… what's the matter? You don't like it?" Her father asked as he put his hand on Natsuki's shoulder, her gasping as she turned around to look at him, an angered, outright murderous glare on his face as he looked down at her. "Is something wrong with the food?" He asked, his tone low yet deep. Intimidating and threatening. "I certainly hope not, given all the work I've put into making it. I slaved away all day to make you this gigantic feast! But… here you are, walking away from it and even trying to prevent yourself from vomiting it up? Is it disgusting to you? Am I disgusting?"

"Wha… What?! No! You're not! You're… you're my dad. I-I love you…"

"You love me, huh? You love me?! If you love me so much, why didn't you stop your little friend from killing me?!" He screamed in a furious rage, his daughter gasping in shock, recoiling from the volume in his voice.

"I… I couldn't… I was scared! You were going to kill her! There was nothing I could do, okay?!" Natsuki shouted back at her father, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. "I didn't want you to die! You were a horrible, awful person but… I didn't want that… I just… Things got out of hand" She said, sniffling slightly as she wiped a tear from her eye.

"Things got out of hand? Things got out of hand?! I got fucking murdered!" Her father screamed even louder as he grabbed Natsuki by the collar of her shirt, forcefully pulling her towards him."You just stood there and let her murder me! Me, your own father! The man who raised you! Who fed you! Who loved you! I was murdered and you didn't do anything to stop it! You did nothing! Nothing at all! You just hid yourself away and waited until it was all over!"

"I'm sorry!" Natsuki began weeping uncontrollably, the guilt of knowing that she could have prevented all of this eating away at her. "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" She begged pathetically, the tears pouring from her eyes like waterfalls as her father's murderous glare only seemed to grown sharper, not even the sight of his crying daughter able to soften it.

"Oh, my sweet princess… of course I can forgive you" He said, his tone low yet still angered. Still enraged, Natsuki looking up at him, a shocked expression on her face. Almost relieved. "I can… but I won't. The way I see it? It's your fault I'm dead. You could have stopped her. Could have prevented all of this. And maybe if you did, you and I could have started treating each other better"

"I really am sorry…"

"I know you are, sweetheart. I know you are. Don't worry though. We can still work on fixing that father-daughter bond we used to share. Even though I'm dead, you and I can still be together… when I send you to hell, which is where filthy murderers like you belong!" Her father screamed loudly as he slammed Natsuki to the floor, grabbing a steak knife from the maggot ridden table before forcing his weight on his daughter, Natsuki pinned down as her father loomed the knife over her, attempting to stab her just as he had been stabbed.

"No!" Natsuki shouted as she quickly grabber her father's wrists, trying as hard as possible to force the knife away. To force him off of her, his superior strength quickly overpowering her. "Please! Don't do this!" Natsuki begged, watching in horror as the knife slowly drew closer to her chest, her unable to pull it away, her father soon breaking his wrists out of Natsuki's hold, quickly acting on his freedom by stabbing his daughter in the chest, her screaming in pain as the blood began gushing out, her father quickly pulling the knife out, holding it above her with the intent to stab once more.

"No…" She begged be. "Please… don't kill me…"

"This is what you deserve, you disrespectful, ungrateful, murdering bitch!"

"No! Please!"

* * *

"DON'T HURT ME!" Natsuki screamed loudly as she jolted up from the couch, cold sweat running down her forehead as she breathed frantically, her scrambling as she looked around, finding herself to be sleeping in someone's living room, the light from the sun gleaming in through the opened windows, fresh, outside air blowing calmly into the room. "Where… where am… Oh" Natsuki said with a sigh, remembering where she was. Aaron's house. His living room.

Yuri dumped her here after what happened with her father. Well… dumped wasn't the right word to use. She just left her here for safekeeping. Left her in a place she deemed to be safe, her confident in Aaron's ability to watch over and protect Natsuki. She sighed again. She wished she shared Yuri's confidence.

While Natsuki and Aaron did have much fun last night, that didn't change the fact that Natsuki had felt so uncomfortable in his home. It wasn't as if it were bad or anything. It's just… unfamiliar. Alien. New. It's a place Natsuki has never been in or seen before till now. That in of itself is bound to unnerve her, the fact that she just jumped out of the bed… erm… couch after suffering a horrible nightmare only made it worse.

Don't get her wrong though. She had no complaints when it came to the place. In fact, she was actually surprised at how clean and rather lovely Aaron's house was, the obvious lack of a woman's touch notwithstanding. Still though, impressive for a boy who, for a majority of his life, lived alone.

"Oh. Hey! You're awake!" Aaron stated happily as he came in through the front door of the house, dressed in his school uniform, apparently returning from somewhere, him clutching a small paper bag in his left hand. "Good morning. You feeling alright?" He asked. Morning. Okay, so he wasn't coming back from school. In fact, school probably hasn't started yet.

"I umm… Yeah. I'm… I'm fine" Natsuki said with a sigh as she moved into a sitting position on the couch, A small frown on Aaron's face as he saw that, Natsuki obviously still bothered by what had happened, Aaron not blaming her now that he knew the truth. Hell, even he's having trouble coming to terms with it.

Natsuki's father… dead. Killed in self defense by Yuri, her hands stained with the blood of a fellow human being. Aaron was honestly more bothered by it than he should have been, especially since the matter didn't even involve him.

"I um… I got us breakfast" He stated as he held the small paper bag forward, Natsuki turning her head to look at him. "I um… I'm not the best cook and it's rude to make the guest cook their own food, so I ran out real quick and picked us up something. I got it from the diner down the block. You know, the one where I bought all that soup for you?"

"Breakfast?" Natsuki asked, an inquisitive look on her face as her head tilted slightly to the side, her ears slightly perked, Aaron smiling at that. Of course food would cheer her up. "What kinda breakfast?" She asked.

"Oh, you know. Something quick and filling. Enough to get us through the school day… at least until lunch time. Here" Aaron said as he placed the bag down on the coffee table, opening it to pull out the food, it wrapped tightly in an aluminum foil, warm to the touch and smelling like… bacon and eggs? With cheese?

That's what they were. Aaron brought back bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches! The bread toasted to a delicious golden brown! Natsuki eagerly taking hers after Aaron brought them out. Normally, after unwrapping it, she'd start to scarf it down. But um… after experiencing such a horrific nightmare, she quickly gave the food a once over. Just to be safe.

"Something wrong?" Aaron asked before taking a bite of his own sandwich.

"Nothing. Just… checking. It's fine. I'm eating it right now, see?" Natsuki asked before taking a bite herself, chewing slowly as she savored the taste. Savored the taste of the amazingly prepared bacon on top of the scrambled egg. The cheese complementing it greatly. "Mmm… It's good!" She said with a smile. "Thanks"

"That's great! I uh… I talked to Yuri last night. After you went to sleep. She… she told me what happened. What really happened. I'm sorry, Natsuki"

"Don't be…" Natsuki said, her tone immediately lowering, a gloomy, slightly angered look coming to her face. "Save your condolences for good people. People who you should actually feel sorry for. Not for… not for whoever my dad was" She scoffed.

"I know you probably feel a lot of resentment, Natsuki. And I don't blame you for that. After what you went through… I'd feel the same if it were me, but I don't think that's the right way to go about it" Aaron stated, a slightly nervous look on his face, him not entirely sure how to go about making his point. "What I mean to say is… you should try to focus on the happier times you had with him, if you actually did have any. That's… I think that's the best way to remember him"

"I don't want to remember him, Aaron" Natsuki said with a frown. "I know. I know. He was still my father. He gave me life. But was that ever an excuse for the way he treated me? Did that ever really make it seem okay?" She asked, looking up at Aaron.

"No" He said immediately. "No. It doesn't. Still though… I dunno. We all morn in our own ways, I guess. Just… if you need anything, I'm here for you" He stated firmly.

"I'd say the same thing to you, especially since you know… about Yuri"

"It was self defense and nothing more. She had no choice" Aaron responded immediately, his sentence already planned out and ready, as if he had to make such a statement as fast as possible. "Your father was going to kill her, Natsuki. What else could she have done?" He asked, his tone hinting at offense, Natsuki quickly raising her hands to calm Aaron down.

"I know! I know! I just… maybe something different could have happened. Maybe… I don't know" Natsuki sighed, her head hanging down low. "I don't wanna talk about this anymore. I… I think I should just get ready for school"

"The shower's upstairs. First door on the left"

"Thank you" Natsuki said as she stood up from the couch, picking up her backpack filled with clothes and walking up the stairs to the shower.

* * *

Yuri shivered nervously as she walked through the school halls, her pace swift as she heard the sounds of her fellow schoolmates, all of them talking and shouting along with the ringing of the final bell, the long and arduous school day finally coming to a close, Yuri quickening her pace, nearly starting to run as she approached her locker, her books held against her chest tightly as she walked up to it, nervousness and anxiousness obvious on her face, as if she just wanted to put her books away and go home.

"There you are!" Yuri jumped in fright at the sound of Aaron's voice, him sneaking up on her from behind, Yuri turning around to look at him, the small smile on his face easing her slightly. Even made her blush a little bit.

She liked that smile. Loved it, actually.

Loved the look of happiness and contentment in it, as if all were right with the world. As if the smile's owner was burdened by no troubles. No worries. No concerns. What Yuri would give to be able to smile like that. To allow her face to gleam and beam so brightly. So happily.

Maybe that's why she liked seeing it on Aaron. Because she envied it. Envied his ability to smile like that. To be so carefree and relaxed, especially in such a stressful environment such as this. A cramped, claustrophobic, busy, noisy school hall.

"He-Hello, Love" Yuri greeted nervously, a hitch in her voice as her eyes looked down at Aaron's feet, as if Yuri couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes. To face him. Truth was, she actually couldn't. Not after last night. Not after what happened.

It's… it's obvious. All you had to do was look at her face to see it. To see the shame so blatant on it. To see the disgust. To see the hurt. To see the regret.

"Hey. Are… are you okay? What's wrong?" Aaron asked in concern as he took a step closer to Yuri, closing the distance between the two, his arms extended out to grab her. Hug her. Hold her. Whatever she needed. Yuri however, rejected his advance. Her hands in the way, preventing him from getting closer. "Yuri?" He asked in confusion, not understanding why his advance had been rejected.

"I… I'm sorry, Love. I'm just not feeling well today. I'm… I'm not in the mood" She sighed, her eyes still avoiding his. Still remaining downcast towards the floor.

"Is it because of… the thing?" Aaron assumed, Yuri silent as she lowered her head even more than it already was. A clear display of the shame she felt. "Look… that kinda thing… it's not your fault" Aaron said, trying his best to comfort Yuri. "You were going to die if you didn't do anything. Your body just reacted to your life being threatened. It… it happens, Yuri. But you're the innocent in all this" He stated as fact, Yuri sighing again before finally raising her head, her eyes now looking straight at Aaron's.

"It's not that…" She said. "It's um… It… I… You see…" She had trouble saying it, Aaron looking at her oddly, confusion obvious on his face as he tried to understand what Yuri was trying to say. "I… Come here. Follow me" She said before grabbing him by the wrist suddenly, checking the hall before moving into the janitor's closet, throwing Aaron and herself in before locking the door, them now locked in a dingy, dusty, dirty closet, the dim light of a single bulb dangling above their heads, barely illuminating the closet.

"I thought you didn't like the janitor's closet" Aaron smirked suggestively, Yuri scoffing at his immature remark.

"Love, please. Now is not the time for… that. I… something happened. Something other than Natsuki's father" Yuri said, her tone worrisome. Fearful. Scared, as if even thinking of talking about it terrified her, which in a way, it did.

"What's the problem?" Aaron asked, concern on his face as he saw the distressed look on Yuri's. Saw the fear and worry. Read her face like it were an open book. In all honesty, it kinda made him feel bad for joking about the closet. Seemed insensitive. Just… wasn't the right time for it. "Please, tell me what's wrong" He said as he looked at Yuri, seeing her look down at the floor and off to her side, her left hand clutching her right wrist, her slowly picking up her head, bringing her eyes to meet his.

"Please don't be angry with me" She begged, her tone low and meek. "I'm so sorry, Love. I'm so very sorry. I… I failed you. I've let you down" She said as she rolled up her sleeve, showing Aaron the bandage that wrapped around her whole forearm, from elbow to wrist.

This one was new. Clean, as if it were just put on. And by the look of it, not applied in the same way Aaron applied his before. Which meant…

"Yuri… No…" Aaron sighed, watching Yuri's head sink in shame as she heard the disappointment in his voice, Aaron swearing her heard her sob quietly too.

"I'm so sorry… I… I lost my nerve. I lost control. I just… What happened to Natsuki's father threw me over the edge. Drove me crazy. I heard voices in my head, Aaron! Voices that sounded nothing like my own! I… I had to do it. I needed to do it"

"No! You didn't!" Aaron said as he gently grabbed Yuri by her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "You didn't need to do that. We… We were making good progress, Yuri. We were doing so well. But… it's as you said. You lost control" Aaron sighed again as he released Yuri, her looking away from him in shame, unable to face him for any longer. "I'm not… I'm not mad at you. I could never be mad. And… I know I sound disappointed, but I'm not. This… this was bound to come back eventually. It takes more than a hookup and a few kisses on the cheek to stop this"

"My sister saw me" Yuri revealed, Aaron's eyes rising in shock. "She… she caught me doing it. Couldn't stop me, but she tried. I'm… I've been scheduled see a therapist" She revealed, Aaron's eyes rising even more, a small smile soon coming onto his face, as if he were relieved

"Wait… really?" He asked. "That's… that's great, Yuri! That's really great! Now you can actually get the help you need! You can finally work this out with a professional! Real progress can be made!" He stated happily, relief in his voice, Yuri simply sighing as she shook her head before turning her back to him, her arms crossing as Aaron's smile began to fade away. "What's wrong?" He asked, concern in his tone, Yuri simply remaining silent. "You're… You don't want that though, do you? I know you want to get better. You don't like doing this to yourself. Well… this is how you get better, Yuri. This is the only way to get better" He stated firmly, Yuri turning her head to him, looking over her shoulder.

"I'm… I'm scared, Love" She admitted. "I don't want to sit there and be judged by some stranger. Some person I don't know. Someone who doesn't understand me. Someone who's… who's job it is to just poke and prod around in my head until something happens. I…" She struggled to continue her sentence. "I know this is probably the only way to fix… everything. But I'm not ready. I'm not ready to take this step. I don't want to do this. I'm being forced"

"You seemed to be ready when I wanted you to be" Aaron stated, Yuri's eyes rising slightly. "You were happy about it, actually. Really happy"

"That's… that's different. Very, very different" Yuri said as she turned around, facing Aaron. "Back then, you were my club mate. You were a friend. And now… you're my lover. I can trust you. I can confide in you. I know you only want what is best for me. But… a complete stranger who makes money off of people like me? I don't have the same confidence" She said as she looked away from Aaron, her head sinking, downcast towards the floor.

"Hey. It's gonna be alright" Aaron said as he gently grabbed Yuri by the chin, lifting her head back up to look at him. "This is a good thing. You are going to come out of this better. Stronger. You just… need to jump a few extra hoops. But it is worth it. Besides, I'm still here for you" He added as he pulled her into a hug, Yuri immediately wrapping her arms around him as she was pulled into his chest, her finding safety and security in it. In his embrace. "I love you. I only want to see you get better. I know you want the same thing. Please try. For me?"

"I… I'm still very scared, Aaron" Yuri said meekly.

"I am too. Scared about… a lot of stuff. But knowing that you're getting help. Knowing that you'll be okay… it'll take some of the fear away from me, at least" Aaron stated, Yuri sighing as she heard that. "Please. Please, just try"

"I… I guess I don't have much of a choice either way. But I will try… for you, Love" Yuri stated after pulling away, hearing Aaron sigh in relief.

"That's all I ask" He smiled. "So um… You wanna open the door and let me out?" He asked, Yuri's ears perking slightly as she heard that, realizing she had locked herself and Aaron in the janitor's closet.

"Hm? Oh. I apologize. Come on, let's get out of here" She said as she unlocked the door, peeking her head out to look around the hall, not wanting anyone to see her and Aaron leaving the closet together.

Oh, the scandal that would have created, Aaron and Yuri seen together in such a place, the social butterflies and gossipers of the school having a field day, were that the case.

"Where are you going? Club's this way, remember?" Aaron stated as he pointed to the opposite end of the hall, Yuri's train of thought destroyed as she turned to look at him.

"Oh… um… I won't be going to the club today. My sister made the appointment. I'm due immediately after school. She's even coming to pick me up. Make sure I don't run and hide" Yuri stated with a sigh. "She should be in front of the school right now"

"Oh… Do you want me to walk you over there?" Aaron asked, Yuri looking at him oddly. "It might make you feel better. Might help you go through it easier" He stated, Yuri pondering the thought in her head for a few seconds.

"Okay" She decided, allowing Aaron to at least walk her out of the school. "Remember though, my sister doesn't know we're together. I'm… I'm not ready to tell her, especially after all that's happened"

"Does that mean no hand holding?"

"Sadly, yes"

"Aww…" Aaron groaned in disappointment, a sour look on his face as he crossed his arms, only to hear Yuri giggle slightly. "What? What's so funny?" He asked, the sour look replaced with a slight scowl

"Nothing" Yuri said, a small smile on her face as she continued to giggle. "I think it's cute when you get all huffy. Anyways, come on" She said as she led him through the halls, Aaron following closely as they both made their way out, exiting thought the front doors of the school, walking together towards the parking lot, Yuri easily spotting her sister's car, Aaron able to see her sitting in the drivers seat.

Wow. Just… wow. Yuri's sister. She… she looked just like Yuri in every single way, except… well, older. More mature and aged. Finely aged, now that Aaron got a good look. Her face very well chiseled and sculpted. Sultry. Seductive. Yuri was a pretty girl in every right, but this was a step above her. This was a beautiful woman. Powerful looking too, to boot.

And to think that in a few years time, Yuri would soon mimic her older sister's appearance… Wow…

"He-hello, Sister" Yuri greeted respectfully as she walked up to the car, a slight look of embarrassment and awkwardness on her face, but after last night, it would be expected if Yuri had trouble looking at her sister properly. "I'm sorry I'm-"

"There you are!" Yuri's sister shouted, a sigh of relief leaving her as she immediately exited the car, walking up and hugging her sister tightly, Aaron looking on at the embrace with a smile, him happy to see such a sight. Happy to see that Yuri was cared for by her family. He didn't expect anything less, honestly. But it was nice to get confirmation that she was treated well. "You had me worried there for a second! I was just about to come looking for you! And uh… who is this?" Yuri's sister asked, looking over to Aaron, a slightly suspicious and cautious look on her face, as if she were judging him.

"Oh. I forgot. Yuna, this is one of the members of my club. Aaron" Yuri introduced. "Aaron, this is my older sister by five years. Yuna"

"A pleasure to meet you!" Yuna greeted warmly, her suspicious, judgmental look instantly vanishing upon being introduced to Aaron, a much more friendly, inviting smile taking it's place, it looking much like a smile you'd see Sayori wearing. "Yuri tells me so much about your little club, but I don't she ever told me about you" Yuna stated. "You and her are… good friends?" She asked, an eyebrow raising as a rather mischievous look appeared on her face.

"Um… We-well. We're… umm" Aaron stammered nervously, struggling to speak under the gaze of Yuri's older sister, her mischievous grin unnerving him.

"Sister, please. I know what you're thinking. No, it's not like that. He's a friend of mine and a fellow club member. Nothing more, okay?" Yuri stated, Aaron finding it odd that she, of all people, was the one keeping her cool in all this. Aaron expected the opposite, with her freaking out and getting nervous while he kept his cool.

"Oh calm down. I'm only playing around. Shame though. I can see you two becoming a couple" Yuna chuckled.

"Sister!"

"Alright. Alright. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your friend" Yuna apologized. "Well, it's time for us to go. We have that… thing you need to get to. Remember?" She asked as she looked at her younger sister, Yuri seeming to shrink as she looked down at the ground.

"I really don't want to…" She said lowly. Quietly. Aaron able to hear the fear in her voice, him sighing at that, wishing he could help her somehow. But sadly, his hands were tied. This was… this was something Yuri would have to do on her own. A battle she'd have to fight alone. Without Aaron… for now, at least.

"I know, Honey. I know" Yuna said understandably as she gently gripped her sister's shoulder, rubbing it gently, as if trying to soothe Yuri. "But it has to be done. This is the only way things are going to get better. And they will get better. I promise"

"Let's just get this over with" She said with a sigh as she pushed her sister's hand away, Yuri opening the passenger door and getting into the car, Yuna sighing as she shook her head slightly, only to perk it back up before looking over to Aaron, him still standing there, watching them.

"It was very nice meeting you, but we have something very important to attend to. Goodbye!" Yuna waved as she got back into her car, Aaron watching as it drove out of the parking lot and onto the open road, him smiling slightly as he returned back to the school, making his way to the literature club.

* * *

"They're late" Sayori growled in irritation as she paced back and forth through the literature club, Natsuki sitting at her desk, watching the president as she paced aimlessly, an angered, irritated look on her face as the sounds of her heavy footsteps echoed through the room.

"Uhh… Are you okay?" Natsuki asked, Sayori stopping in her tracks, her head turning to look at her fellow member, Natsuki able to see Sayori's face. There was a scowl on it. A glare geared towards Natsuki, no doubt. She couldn't tell you why though. Couldn't find any reason as to why Sayori looked so… angry. Natsuki knew for a fact that she hadn't done anything to raise the ire of the club president. Or at the very least, nothing that would infuriate her. Make her slightly annoyed, at most. And even then, Sayori wasn't the type of person to get angry or hold grudges, even over big things.

She's always been a very forgiving, optimistic and kind person… or at least she used to be.

She used to be the sweetest girl Natsuki had ever met. Too sweet, honestly. So much so that looking at her would be enough to rot your teeth. But ever since Natsuki and Sayori caught Aaron and Yuri making out… she's been taking it really hard. So hard, that it's began to affect her behavior. It's… soured her. Turned her bitter. Hateful. Violent even.

You saw what happened in the bathroom that one time. The time where Natsuki found Yuri crying. At the time, Natsuki thought it was her actions that made Yuri cry like that. But looking back on it… The events that led up to and followed it… She was able to put two and two together.

She didn't want to outright accuse Sayori of hurting her, even though Natsuki could see the pain on Yuri's face. She didn't know if that hurt came from physical pain or emotional. No matter which it was, it was wrong, of course. Natsuki and Yuri fight every once and awhile, yes. But she'd never dream of actually trying to hurt Yuri, be it emotionally or physically.

Natsuki knows her limits and knows when to pull back before she says or does something actually hurtful… well… sometimes.

There may have been this one instance where… Natsuki may have accused Yuri of stuffing her shirt soon after Aaron joined the club. That… that was insensitive. Rude and honestly, immature and juvenile of Natsuki. She learned her lesson from that and knows better now.

But Sayori? If Natsuki's suspicions were true, and they usually are, then what she's done is already unforgivable, at least in Natsuki's eyes.

And all because of what? Because she's suddenly jealous of Yuri? Jealous of what? Her having a boyfriend? Okay? So? Every girl needs to get one at least once, someone as sensitive as Yuri especially. That girl would have probably broke down by now, were it not for Aaron.

Was it because of who she's chosen as her boyfriend? Aaron?

Was Sayori jealous because she didn't have a chance to be with Aaron, despite literally knowing him since childhood? Honey, you could have jumped on that at age five! Why wait till now? Or maybe… maybe Sayori didn't know she wanted that from Aaron until she couldn't get it anymore…

Natsuki scoffed as she thought of that, waving off whatever sympathy she felt for Sayori with it. I mean, sucks that Sayori couldn't have the relationship she wanted with Aaron but… is this the right way to deal with it? By bullying and abusing the girl he chose over her? Can't she just be content in knowing that he's happy? That he's loved?

If it was some random girl off the streets, Natsuki would understand. But… it's not a random girl. it's Yuri. A person Natsuki and Sayori knew for a long while. A good, kindhearted person. A trustworthy person. A friend.

In Natsuki's mind, Sayori was just coming off as petty. Petty, bitter and angry. And from here, her actions have only seemed to get worst, even after Aaron's attempts to fix things, which he's been trying to do a lot, according to Yuri.

If anything, it's only made Sayori worse. Made her angrier. More hateful. More bitter.

At first, it was only small, passive aggressive insults. A sarcastic jab or two. Okay, mean but harmless. Then it turned into actual intimidation and then, like the flick of a switch, abuse, Natsuki knowing that part all too well herself.

She sighed as she played with one of her bangs, it still covering the black eye she got from her father. The swelling went down, finally. But the bruise mark is still there. It's still black and blue, Natsuki resorting to using her hair to hide it, covering her left eye entirely.

Honestly, the two aren't any different now. Natsuki's father and Sayori. They're both doing the same shit. Hurting people they used to care about.

"I'm fine" Sayori stated, answering Natsuki's question, her scowl still on her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Natsuki asked, Sayori's scowl quickly disappearing, her face returning to normal immediately, almost as if it did so in panic. Changed back in order to try and hide the expression it wore in the first place, Natsuki genuinely weirded out by this behavior.

"What are you talking about? Am I looking at you funny? I don't think I am" Sayori stated, her tone lightening as well, her almost sounding like her normal self. Well… almost. There was a catch in her voice. A pause. A moment of hesitation, as if she needed to gather her thoughts and rehearse her sentence mentally before speaking, Sayori also looking off to the side as she spoke, avoiding eye contact with Natsuki.

"You were glaring at me. You had a scowl on your face" Natsuki stated, her tone growing confrontational.

"Oh. Did I? I'm sorry. I guess I'm just… a little stressed. Tired. Cranky, maybe. It's been a long school day. You understand, right?" Sayori asked, Natsuki crossing her arms as she heard the president's justification.

' _Really? That's your reason? You're stressed, huh?'_ Her body language conveyed, Sayori starting to appear visually unnerved and discomforted by Natsuki's own scowl, her simply turning her back to Natsuki and walking off to the teachers desk, her now digging around through a small stack of paper.

"I mean, the past few days have been pretty stressful for all of us. You and me especially" Sayori continued, disregarding the look Natsuki gave her.

"What do you mean by that?" Natsuki asked, her arms still crossed as she watched Sayori shuffle and organize the papers stacked upon the teachers desk. Blank sheets. Literally blank pieces of paper, Sayori most likely rooting through them in an attempt to look busy. Maybe she tried to distract herself somehow. Take her mind off something. Natsuki didn't know what that may have been though.

"Oh. I'm sorry! I didn't mean to assume. I just… Well, you look a little down, buddy! A little gloomy. Sad. Maybe depressed too. Everything okay?" Sayori asked, her tone filled with an artificial concern as she turned from the desk, looking back at Natsuki. "I mean, what with the whole Aaron-Yuri drama going on, I can't help but feel like you and your problems are being neglected" Sayori stated, Natsuki tensing up slightly as Sayori took a few steps forward, coming closer to Natsuki's desk, ending up directly in front of it, Sayori already having closed the distance before Natuski could move, the two now face to face, Sayori smiling brightly, practically beaming. "As president of the literature club, it's my job to make sure my club members are happy and taken care of. You're not happy and you're not being taken care of, aren't you?"

"I… I don't know what you're talking about!" Natsuki scoffed as she crossed her arms, huffing as she turned her head away. "I'm fine!" She denied, Sayori clicking her tongue as she shook her head.

"Come on. I'm your friend, Natsuki. You can tell me anything. I'll understand completely. What's wrong? Is everything at home okay? Family treating you alright? And what's with the weird hairstyle? You trying something new?" Sayori asked as she raised her hand, slowly bringing it to Natsuki's face in an attempt to sweep her bang back behind her ear. "I liked your old style better, honesl-"

"Don't touch my hair!" Natsuki slapped Sayori's hand away.

"Ouch!" Sayori glared as she pulled her hand back, using her other to stroke over the skin Natsuki struck, it slightly tinged red. "Rude…" Sayori growled. "I was only trying to help" She stated as she walked away from Natsuki.

"I… I'm sorry. I just… I'm not feeling very good today. A lot's happened. P-please forgive me. I… I didn't mean it" Natsuki stated, her tone guilt ridden, feeling awful for having even the thought of striking Sayori.

She couldn't help it though. The way Sayori was just leaning on her desk, her back against the chair as Sayori towered over her… It was very imposing. Claustrophobic too. And all those questions she threw at her. All of them being things Natsuki didn't even want to think of, let alone talk about. It all made Natsuki feel like she couldn't breath. She… She had to do something. Something to get Sayori to back off. Something to create some space. Give her some room to breathe.

"I really didn't mean to-"

"Just… Natsuki, go back to reading your manga" Sayori commanded, her hand waving Natsuki away dismissively, causing Natsuki's head to sink down, her looking at the floor with a truly hurt expression on her face.

"Yes, President. I'm sorry, President" She sighed as she did as told, moving to the supply closet to pull out a different issue of her manga, returning to her desk immediately after, reading silently.

"Hey, guys. I'm here!" Aaron announced as he entered the club room, a rather satisfied and content look on his face, him being the only person in the room feeling any sort of positive emotion.

"Hi, Aaron!" Sayori greeted happily, her tone painfully shrill and cheerful to an obnoxious degree, smiling brightly again as Aaron came into the room. "Took you a while to get here, didn't it? Where've you been, Silly? And… Where's Yuri?" Sayori asked, a fake look of concern on her face as she looked behind Aaron, hoping to find her hiding behind him.

"Oh. She's um… She had to go home early. She's busy" Aaron stated, being intentionally vague as to what busy meant, him thinking it for the best if Sayori and Natsuki didn't know what was going on, Aaron thinking this to be especially true in Sayori's case, her most likely still holding a grudge against the girl.

"Busy? Busy with what?" Sayori asked, Aaron able to hear Natsuki scoff at Sayori's display of fake concern, as if she actually had either of them fooled.

"She didn't tell me. She just said that she was busy and that she couldn't come to the club. Then her sister came and picked her up" Aaron lied, him staring Sayori right in the eyes, trying his best to keep contact in an attempt to make Sayori believe he was telling the truth.

"Aww… That's a shame. I hope everything's okay though" Sayori stated as she walked away, Aaron sighing quietly in relief, Sayori believing his lie, or at least that's what it looked like. "You know, I was going to start handing out the assignments but… since the Vice president isn't here today, I guess we can put the work on hold. We can just hang out and take a break for awhile!" Sayori announced happily.

"Yeah. That's uhh… That's great, Sayori!" Aaron said in reluctant agreement, him looking around the room to find Natsuki sitting at the desk in the rightmost corner, closest to the supply closet, her eyes going back and forth rapidly as she read from her manga. "You alright?" Aaron asked as he walked up to her, Natsuki turning her attention onto him as he approached the desk, a small yet somewhat sad smile slowly creeping onto Natsuki's face, it being her way of silently letting Aaron know that for the most part, she was fine and that he shouldn't worry too much about her.

"Don't worry about her, Aaron. She's just in one of her moods again" Sayori stated as she approached him from behind, her hand stealthily creeping up and grabbing his shoulder, Aaron jumping slightly in surprise at that, an odd, cold shiver suddenly running down his spine the moment Sayori touched him. "You know how she acts when she gets all huffy and angry. I'd just ignore her if I were you" She urged, Natsuki scoffing audibly at that as she buried her face back into her manga, continuing her reading. "You see what I'm talking about?" Sayori asked, using Natsuki's behavior to prove her point. "Best to just leave her alone. Why don't you come hang out with me instead?!" She continued as she gripped Aaron by the wrist, rather forcefully dragging him away from Natsuki, all the way to the front of the club room, near the teachers desk.

"So umm… You didn't come to school yesterday" Aaron stated bluntly, Sayori's perking slightly as she turned around, a questioning look on her face.

"Oh? Yeah. I uh… I wasn't feeling too good that day" Sayori said dismissively as she turned her back to Aaron. "From what I heard, Natsuki didn't come to school either"

"I can still hear you from over there!" She shouted from her corner of the room, Sayori simply ignoring her, as if she weren't real.

"Well… with Natsuki, it was different" Aaron said. "But you? Well… you're lazy, Sayori. But missing school isn't like you at all. Me and Yuri… we were kinda worried something happened"

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine!" Sayori smiled brightly. "I just wasn't feeling very well yesterday. It was a… It wasn't a very good day for me and I felt like I needed a break" She stated simply.

"Wait. You mean you weren't sick or anything? You just… decided not to come to school? You can't do that, Sayori!" Aaron said, scolding her for such recklessness, him genuinely unnerved by her statement. He wasn't lying when he said Sayori was a lazy person. And to be honest, she does a lot of stupid things. But willingly skipping school? That's not one of them.

"What does it matter? I mean, it's not like anybody actually teaches anything here, right? The only thing that happens when we come here, is that we all sit around in the club room and do nothing! I didn't miss anything important!" She said rather cheerfully, making light of the situation, Aaron somewhat weirded out by her response.

"What are you talking about? We do more than just sit in the club room all day. We… We have classes!" Aaron stated.

"Really?" Sayori asked, tilting her head to the side slightly. "Can you remember what your last class was? Can you remember what you learned today?"

"Of course I can! My last class was… uhh… It was… What I learned today was…" He struggled to remember, Aaron suddenly grunting in pain, feeling a short yet sharp headache overwhelm him as he tried to remember.

"Ohh. Having a bit of trouble, are we?" Sayori asked, her tone somewhat patronizing. Belittling. "It's okay if you can't remember. I can't either" She giggled. "I'm sure it wasn't important anyway" She stated, the school bell soon ringing loudly, signaling that all club activities were over. "Time to go home already? That was fast" Sayori stated as she started packing her things.

"But… we just got here" Aaron said, confused as to how so much time could have passed so quickly. It had only been a couple of minutes. Half an hour at most!

"I know, right? And now the school day's over! Amazing how fast time flies when you're with your friends! Anyways, come on. Pack up your things and let's go home. We can all walk back together!" Sayori said happily as she gathered her things, Aaron looking at her oddly as he heard her hum a soft, merry tune.

* * *

"Now, can you tell me a little bit about the more… social aspect of your life? I know you're very close with your family, but what about other people? Do you have any friends?"

"I have friends. Yes" Yuri stated bluntly as she sat on a brown, leather couch, her back upright and her posture perfect as she stared the therapist in the eyes, an almost confrontational glare on Yuri's face. Hostile even, as if she were trying to display a form of strength, maybe even dominance to this therapist. This doctor. This man she had only just met.

This man she had only just met…

She was supposed to tell everything about herself to this man she had only just met. She was supposed to make herself an open book for him. Let him come in and read through her thoughts. Her feelings. Her mind like paragraphs on paper. Let him examine her like art on a wall. Let him see all her secrets. All her emotions. All her feelings. Her wants. Her dreams. Her desires. Her… her fears. Her anxieties. Her… Well, you know.

Now, don't get Yuri wrong. She's sure that the man didn't harbor ill intent. Of course he didn't. In fact, psychiatric evaluations are quite common among all sorts of people. It's perfectly normal and healthy to have these things and they offer a great boon to society. It's just… Yuri wasn't comfortable with the idea of her needing such a thing.

She wasn't comfortable with the idea of this man knowing her. Knowing who she was. How she thought. How she acted. Honestly, she wasn't comfortable with anyone knowing any of these things, be they stranger or friend.

She wasn't even comfortable with Aaron, her own lover knowing about things like this at first, her gradually warming up and trusting in him as time went on. Confiding in him only after she was sure he could be confided in.

Yuri was the kind of girl who had… difficulties confiding in others, if that wasn't obvious enough. Everyone knew that to be true, even those not affiliated with the club. Though she was a very sweet and kind girl, she was also very reserved and private. Kept to herself most, if not all the time. And in all honesty, she always preferred it that way. Always preferred to just be left alone. Left to herself. Left in peace.

It was and still somewhat is very hard to earn her trust and even harder to keep it. Look back to when Yuri first joined the literature club for proof of that. She didn't even speak back then! Didn't even talk to her club mates!

It took a whole two weeks of being in the club before she started actually talking. And when Aaron joined soon after, Yuri went silent again for awhile, her overcome with anxiety and nervousness about having a boy as her club mate, it being obvious that she didn't have the best experience when it came to interacting with the opposite sex.

Well… that was back then. Now though, at least she could talk to Aaron without blushing and hiding her face in nervousness all the time… for the most part.

"Listen to me, Ms.-"

"Yuri" She cut the therapist off, rather rudely too. "I prefer to be called by my first name" She stated, the therapist sighing as he sat back in his long, tall leather chair, his pen and a notepad by his side, him writing something down in it the moment Yuri corrected him.

"Yuri…" He started. "I know you're very nervous and probably a little scared, but I just want to let you know that you have nothing to fear from me. My job is to help you get better and I'm going to try my best to do that job. But I don't want you feeling as if I see you as nothing more than just work to be done. You are a person who needs help. I am a person who wants to help you. I would strongly suggest that you not fight with me. I'm your friend here" He stated, his tone calm and his posture relaxed and laid back, whereas Yuri's was starting to become ridged and uncomfortable. "Would you like to lay down?" The therapist asked.

"N-no, thank you" Yuri said, declining the therapist's suggestion.

"Very well" He sighed, Yuri detecting a bit of annoyance in his voice. "Maybe we should just start over" He said before writing something down in his notepad again, most likely noting Yuri's behavior. "Let's just get the elephant in the room out of the way first… Your sister found you trying to kill yourself last night. You took a shard of glass from a broken mirror and slit your wrists, to the point where you screamed in pain. Your sister tried to stop you, but you kept going. Why did you do that, Yuri?" He asked, the heaviness in his question making it difficult for Yuri to answer, let alone even think of an answer, her herself not knowing why she did what she did.

"I wasn't trying to kill myself" She stated. "I was… I…" She struggled to explain.

"I understand. I've… dealt with that before. It's okay" The therapist said understandingly as he wrote down in his notepad again, Yuri now starting to get unnerved by the sound of the pen against the paper. "So, you cut yourself?" He asked bluntly, Yuri recoiling slightly after hearing it blurted out so… casually. So carelessly, as if this doctor was dismissive of it. Didn't understand the severity. Or… maybe he did, but he's dealt with it so many times before, that he's just used to stating it so blatantly. Yuri didn't know. "Can you give me an exact answer as to why you do this?"

"Not… not really. It's been happening for so long that I've… honestly forgotten my original reason. As to why I do it now, I… I have trouble controlling the way I act around certain people. I get… nervous. Anxious"

"And doing this to yourself is how you regain control? How you keep yourself in line?"

"I suppose so" Yuri said, her arms crossing as she looked away from the therapist, her eyes focused on the floor.

"And what happens if you get too nervous? Too anxious?"

"I… I'm not comfortable with talking about that"

"I see…" The therapist sighed in annoyance once more, him obviously getting frustrated at Yuri's lack of transparency and cooperation. "Let's just go back to what happened last night. You were very… brutal towards yourself back there. You tore your arm to shreds. Is it still hurting?"

"Yes" Yuri sighed as her left hand began stroking her right forearm gently. "I could barely use it today. I had to do practically everything with the other one"

"You've said before that you've been harming yourself for a long time. But last night, you weren't just cutting yourself. You were… you were mutilating yourself. What happened? What caused you to just snap like that?"

"I… I don't know" Yuri started, nervousness and worry obvious in her voice. "I just… It had been so long and… and I was going through so much. Too much was happening at the same time. I was overwhelmed and… I just needed something to take my mind off it all. I needed a second to sit down and compose myself" She started shivering in worry.

"What was going through your mind? What were you thinking of? What made you so stressed, overwhelmed and anxious, to the point where you absolutely needed release?" The therapist pressed further. "Please, tell me"

"I… I can't. It's not that I don't want to. I just can't"

"Why can't you?"

"Because I can't! You… You just don't understand" Yuri said as she shook her head.

"Then help me understand. We need to get to the bottom of this, Yuri. But we can't if you keep secrets from me. I guarantee that whatever you say will never leave this office. I swear"

"I… No! I'm not taking that chance!"

"Why not? Does it involve something illegal? Have you committed a crime, Yuri?"

"N-No! No, I haven't!"

"Then why are you so reluctant to tell me? You want to talk about it. I know you do. You can tell me"

"No, I can't! I don't want to!"

"Yuri…"

"Please no!"

"We're not going to get anywhere unless you start opening up"

"I SAID NO!" Yuri shouted angrily, a sharp glare on her face after shouting directly at the therapist, the room going silent as soon as she screamed, him just sitting there, staring at her, a very annoyed and aggravated look on his face. A small timer on a table at the side of his chair then began ringing loudly.

"It looks like we're out of time for today" He said with a sigh. "A shame too. We were making such good progress" He quipped, Yuri scoffing audibly as she sat up from his couch. "I'd like you to come in for a few more sessions. Daily visits would be recommended. We've only scratched the surface of your problem, but with more work and… cooperation, We'll get to the bottom of it. I assure you" The therapist smiled smugly.

"I never want to see you ever again!" Yuri said bitterly, angrily as she made her way to the door.

"You can talk with the lady at the front desk about scheduling additional sessions. I look forward to speaking with you again, Yuri. It was a pleasure to meet you"

"Arrogant prick" Yuri cursed silently as she exited the office, now standing in the main hall, her older sister, Yuna, walking up to her and pulling her into a small hug, her having waited patiently outside the door for Yuri.

"Finally. You've been in there for hours. So? How'd it go?" She asked in concern, Yuri simply shaking her head. "Yuri…" Disappointment could be heard in her older sister's voice.

"I'm sorry, Sister. I tried. I really did, but… I never want to go through that again" Yuri stated with a sigh, her eyes downcast towards the ground.

"Hey. I know this must be hard for you…" Yuna said as she gently grabbed Yuri by the chin, slowly lifting her sister's head up to look at her, the two staring eye to eye at each other. "But this is what's needed in order to fix what's wrong with you. Don't you want to get better?" She asked.

"Yes. Yes, I do. Just… not this way"

"Well I'm sorry, sweetie. But there is no other way" Yuna stated, Yuri brushing her sister's hand away from her as she walked toward the exit, Yuna following closely. "I know you're still uncomfortable about all of this. But I swear, there's no reason to feel this way. This place, these people, they all have one purpose. And that purpose is to help you get better. But… how are they going to do that if you won't let them?"

"Can we please stop talking about this?" Yuri requested, her tone suddenly becoming hushed. Somber. Saddened, so much so that Yuna recoiled slightly when she heard it. "I'm just… I'm just very tired. I want to go home" She added, a small frown on her face.

"I… Of course. Come on then. Let's get you home. I'll make dinner and then you can just rest and relax for the rest of the day" Yuna sighed as she and Yuri exited the building, walking to their car and beginning to make their way home.

* * *

Aaron sighed anxiously as he walked home, an uneasy, dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach as Natsuki followed from behind, Sayori in front of both of them, leading the way as she talked incessantly. Rambled and ranted. Chattered on and on about god knows what. Whatever it was, it obviously didn't hold either Aaron's or Natsuki's attention, Sayori continuing to speak, herself being the only person that was able to comprehend what she was actually saying.

Aaron and Natsuki tried their best to follow along with her ramblings initially, the both of them eventually tuning it out as they became lost in thoughts of their own.

Natsuki still felt guilty for hurting Sayori earlier, even though a part of her was still angered over having her personal space violated like that. She didn't say much on the walk back home. Barely spoke, actually. She just kept her head down. Kept herself silent while Sayori kept on talking. As for Aaron, he had become overwhelmed with worry and concern as he thought about Yuri, him hoping that she was taking her visit to the therapist well.

She probably wasn't.

He knew he shouldn't have, but he couldn't help but feel worried for her. Worried if she was okay. If she was safe. Couldn't help but think about her. Think about her condition and how it just… skyrocketed out of proportions, to the point where legitimate harm was being inflicted upon her because of it.

He wished he could do something more to help her now, him not content to sit back and play spectator while his girlfriend, his lover, needed to be around people she was comfortable with. People she trusted. People she loved.

Natsuki… Aaron was worried about her too. She had been very quiet today. Very reserved and in all honesty, kind of timid. In a way, she was acting almost exactly as Yuri did.

He wondered if Natsuki was taking the death of her father too hard, to the point where her behavior was being negatively affected. He wondered if she had been traumatized, actually. Scarred mentally. Abusive parent or not, seeing a family member die right in front of you… Aaron wasn't a psychologist, but he was sure it wasn't helpful for her mental state.

"Hey um…" Aaron stopped walking, him looking over his shoulder to see Natsuki behind him, her looking back at him. "You're okay, right?" He asked, just wanting to check on her.

"Uhh… Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine" She responded reluctantly, her voice incredibly soft and quiet. A near whisper. "I'm just tired" She stated.

"Yeah. Me too"

"So… why is Natsuki coming to your house and not hers?" Sayori chimed in suddenly, Aaron and Natsuki jumping in shock when they heard her voice, their heads turning quickly to face her, the both of them silent for a second before Aaron began to speak.

"She uhh… You see, she's… I can't…" Yet he struggled to come up with a rational explanation.

"I… I can't go home" Natsuki stated, Sayori gasping slightly at that, genuinely shocked. "I… I ran away. My father doesn't… didn't care about me. So I ran away. I'm staying with Aaron until I figure out what to do" She admitted, The look on Sayori's face softening slightly, content with Natsuki's answer while also being concerned for her.

"Oh, you poor thing" Sayori said with a sigh. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't like talking about it" Natsuki said as she walked ahead, passing by both Aaron and Sayori. "Can we just go home, please?" She asked, Aaron and Sayori resuming their walk home, this time with Natsuki at the front, leading the way back.

They soon arrived at Aaron's house, him walking up to the front door and unlocking it, moving aside for Natsuki to enter first.

"Can I come in too?" Sayori asked, a small smile on her face as she looked at Aaron, her head slightly tilted to the side, no doubt in an attempt to make herself appear cutesy and innocent, as she had done before. "I know you're probably busy and everything but… I just don't want to go back to an empty house. I don't wanna be alone again. Please? Just for a little while?" She asked, Aaron sighing as he looked into Sayori's eyes, him already feeling the guilt begin to eat at him, regardless of the fact that he hasn't turned her away yet, this all going just as Sayori planned, of course.

She may have genuinely felt lonely and in need of comfort, but that didn't change the fact that Sayori was tricky. Clever. Good at manipulation. And even though Aaron was aware of this. Aware of her little tricks and plans… that didn't stop him from falling prey to them. Maybe once or twice he could see through them and resist her. Put his foot down and tell her no. But for the most part, Aaron was putty in Sayori's hands. Always was, even back when they were little.

Now, even given the circumstances, wasn't any different. Especially when she wears that sad yet sweet smile.

"Sure" He said as he kept the door open for her, Sayori beaming brightly soon after, happy that Aaron would allow her to stay with him.

"Yay!" She cheered happily as she entered the house, Aaron simply sighing again as he rolled his eyes, him soon entering the house himself, shutting the door on his way in. "This is gonna be so much fun! What should we do first? Watch movies? Play video games?" She asked excitedly.

"Um… What's she still doing here?" Natsuki asked as she laid down on the couch, it fitted with a set of bed sheets, pillows and a blanket. This being where she'd sleep for as long as she stayed with Aaron. On his couch.

"It's okay. Aaron said I could stay here for just a little while" Sayori stated with a smile. "That's not a problem, is it? I won't be too much of a bother, I promise"

"I… Sure. It's fine. Not my house anyway" Natsuki said, her waving her hand dismissively at Sayori before digging into her backpack, pulling out a manga she brought from her stash in the club room and beginning to read from it.

"Aww, come on! Don't be like that! We'll have fun, I swear!" Sayori assured, her smile unwavering, even when faced with Natsuki's less than enthused attitude. "Or… do you want to be left alone for awhile? Because if you do, Aaron and I can just hang out in his room and you can-"

"No! No, I… I'm fine. Sure. We can all do something. I don't mind" Natsuki said suddenly, agreeing with Sayori's suggestion. She didn't let her finish that sentence. Maybe… Maybe it wasn't Natsuki's business, but she wasn't comfortable with the idea of Aaron and Sayori being together. Alone. In his bedroom.

I mean, he's Yuri's boyfriend. Everyone knew that at this point, especially Sayori. Don't get Natsuki wrong though, she trusted Aaron to behave himself. But she didn't trust Sayori at all. For all she knew, Sayori was just going to pounce on him the moment the door was shut. Maybe even force him too. So for Aaron and Yuri's sake, Natsuki would endure Sayori in order to make sure she behaved herself, Natsuki looking past her to see Aaron sigh in relief, him most likely thinking the same way Natsuki did.

"You really don't mind? That's great! So what do we do first? I say we watch a movie! It can be anything, really! I'm up for whatever!" Sayori stated as she sat down next to Natsuki on the couch, snatching the television remote away and beginning to surf through the channels, hoping to find something decent to watch. "Aaron, pop some popcorn!" She commanded, him sighing as he walked into the kitchen, only for him to stop when he heard a knock coming from his front door, him turning around to answer it.

"Hello, Love" Yuri greeted softly after Aaron opened the door, a small, sweet smile on her face as she looked at him, almost as if she were relieved to see him. As if whatever worries or troubles she had been facing vanished the moment she looked at him. "I apologize for coming over uninvited. Do you… mind if I come in?" She asked politely.

"I uhh… Well…" Aaron struggled to answer, stuttering slightly before taking a second to prepare a proper response "I don't really think that's a good idea because-"

"Who's at the door, Aaron?" Sayori asked as she appeared behind him, Aaron jumping in shock as he turned to face her, startled by the sudden sound of her voice. "Oh look! Yuri's come to pay us a visit! Natsuki, Yuri's here!" Sayori shouted over her shoulder, trying to involve Natsuki in the conversation, her thankfully ignoring Sayori as she continued to lay on the couch, trying to enjoy her manga as much as possible in the short time she had left to read it.

"He-Hello, Sayori…" Yuri greeted, her tone slightly nervous, Sayori simply smiling as she waved hello. "You didn't tell me you were having guests over, Aaron" Yuri stated as she turned to Aaron, seeing the awkward, uncomfortable look on his face, as if he didn't even want to be here himself. Didn't even want to be in his own home.

Yuri could relate, as she currently felt the same about her own home as well, hence why she was here instead of being there.

It was just… There was a tension in the air there. An unsettling aura gripped her home, so unsettling that she didn't even want to be in it anymore. And the worst part was, she knew that it came from her. From her actions. From the way her family reacted to her.

"Sorry" Aaron apologized.

"What's there to be sorry about? This is a good thing! Now that Yuri's here, we can all hang out again like we used to! It'll be so much fun!" Sayori chimed happily, acting oblivious. An act that both Aaron and Yuri saw through. She knew Yuri was still bothered by her presence, apology notwithstanding. She knew she still made Yuri very uncomfortable, Sayori most likely acting oblivious and friendly in an attempt to further unnerve her. "Oh? What's that you got there, Yuri?" She questioned as she eyed a small bag in Yuri's hands, a small bit of clothing able to be seen within.

"Th-This?! Nothing! Nothing! It's just… clothes" She stated nervously.

"Clothes? Why would you bring clothes to Aaron's house?" Sayori asked. "Unless… you were planning on staying over for the night?" She grinned mischievously, Yuri's cheeks turning a shade red as her head sank slightly. "Oooh! And were we planning on doing anything _special_ tonight?" She teased, further embarrassing Yuri.

"Come on. Leave her alone" Aaron scolded, Sayori simply smiling as she shrugged.

"Relax. I'm only having a little fun. I didn't mean anything by it" She giggled, Yuri picking her head up slightly to look at her, still heavily embarrassed. Almost feeling somewhat shamed, honestly.

"Maybe I should just go back home…"

"No! Don't do that! You came all the way over here! You might as well stay! We were actually gonna watch a movie. You can come in and watch with us!" Sayori urged. "In fact, you just gave me a great idea! I'm gonna stay here for the night too! That way, you, me, Natsuki and Aaron can all have a sleepover! isn't that fun?!"

"A sleepover? What are you? Eleven?" Natsuki spat in irritation, Sayori simply brushing her little comment off.

"Don't listen to her. It'll be fun! Plus, this will give us time to patch things up, since I know you and I still aren't on the greatest of terms" She stated, her head soon sinking down slightly, a somewhat saddened look on her face. "It'd… it'd be nice to spend time with you again. Please?" Sayori asked, her tone sounding as if she were almost begging, Yuri sighing as she looked into Sayori's eyes, part of her knowing fully well that Sayori was simply putting on an act. Still…

"I d-don't really think that's a good idea. It's already late enough and tonight is a school night, So…"

"So… why are you here then?" Sayori asked, Yuri opening her mouth to speak, yet no words would came to her, leaving her unable to create a proper, believable excuse.

"Alright. I'll… I'll spend the night" She said with a sigh.

"Yay!" Sayori cheered again before grabbing Yuri by the wrist, practically pulling her inside, whether out of excitement and eagerness or by force, Yuri and Aaron didn't know. "This'll be so much fun. Here! You can even get first pick of what we'll watch! Aaron! Popcorn! Now, please!"

"I thought this was supposed to be my house…" Aaron sighed as he shook his head, him still walking back into the kitchen nonetheless, preparing the popcorn for the others. "I hope she was telling the truth when she said she wanted to patch things" He gulped in nervousness.

A good few hours had passed as Sayori, Natsuki, Yuri and Aaron all sat together on the same couch, their eyes all glued to the television as their movie played. There was a smile of excitement on Sayori's face, her on the edge of her seat, getting deeply invested in the movie's plot. Natsuki was starting to yawn loudly, her beginning to fall asleep, whether from fatigue or boredom, she didn't know.

As for Yuri and Aaron, they sat next to each other, Yuri resting herself against Aaron, her head on his shoulder, nuzzled slightly in his neck, the two cuddling as they watched the movie together.

Aaron thought it was the cutest thing ever. Her and him sitting together on the couch, watching a movie. Neither of them saying anything to each other. Barely speaking. Just living in the moment. Just enjoying each other's presence. Enjoying the closeness of one another.

Were it not for certain onlookers, this would be a perfect night for Aaron. His idea of the perfect date. Just him and his girlfriend relaxing in peace together, drowning out the world as they watched television.

This wasn't to imply that Sayori was disrupting or preventing them from having such an experience though. In fact, Aaron was surprised at how quiet she was. More importantly, how accepting she was towards Yuri and Aaron's intimacy and closeness, her most likely not even noticing that they were cuddling.

Eventually, both Sayori and Natsuki fell asleep on the couch, the movie not even close to reaching the end before they began drifting off, Aaron and Yuri being the only two remaining awake.

"It seems your house guests are fast asleep" Yuri observed, her voice in a soft, gentle whisper.

"Seems so" Aaron replied, him whispering as well.

"I hope Natsuki isn't being too much of a bother for you. She isn't, is she?" Yuri asked as she looked to her side, only to find Natsuki fast asleep, snoring slightly.

"No. She's fine. I don't think she likes it here though. It just… I dunno. Maybe she's just not comfortable"

"I see" Yuri sighed as she looked away, her attention turning back to Aaron. "I haven't talked to my sister about taking her in yet. Today… today was not a good day…"

"I know it wasn't, but it's over now. Tomorrow's a new day. A better day" Aaron stated before leaning down, placing a gentle kiss on Yuri's forehead, the corners of her mouth rising slightly, forming a small smile as she looked at him.

"I do hope so" She said. "Has Sayori been this clingy all day?" She asked.

"You say that like it's something new. You know that's just how she acts" Aaron stated, slightly dismissive of Sayori's behavior. "I mean… It got kinda tense in the club room today. But other than that, she's been acting pretty normal. Just regular Sayori"

"That's… That's good to know"

"Are you okay?" Aaron asked in concern.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine Love. I'm… feeling a lot better, especially now that we're together" She stated, her small smile growing slightly, rising as Aaron noticed her blush. Noticed her cheeks turn a shade red. "It's uh… It's getting rather late. It's a school night tonight. Do you maybe want to… go to bed?" She asked as she looked up at him.

"Go to bed with you?" Aaron asked with a grin, Yuri red with embarrassment as she saw that, her giggling slightly. "Sure" Aaron smiled, Yuri doing the same as she stood up from the couch, bending down to grab her bag of clothing.

"You go on ahead, Love. I'll be there shortly" She stated. "I just need to… get ready" She grinned slightly, Aaron chuckling as he sat up, the two making their way upstairs, yet separating as soon as they reached the second floor, Aaron going to his room and Yuri going into the bathroom to prepare herself for bed.

She started by removing her clothes, stripping off piece after piece, article after article of clothing one by one before opening the bag she'd brought with her, pulling out the small light blue nightgown she'd previously worn. The one that Aaron liked seeing her in. The one he said she looked beautiful in.

She sighed when she looked at herself in the mirror though, seeing the way the nightgown clung to her body. Fit to her form. It being a little small, due to the fact that Yuri had outgrown it somewhat, mainly in the chest area.

She sighed again, deeper this time as she raised her right arm, inspecting it, looking over the bandages that heavily wrapped it, them taking up almost the entire length. She gave her bandages a quick once over. A small check to make sure everything was fine.

They were stained slightly, hints of crimson having bled through them, due to the severity of Yuri's wounds. How much blood she must have lost during that… even thinking about it made her shiver in discomfort.

She pushed her arm away. Turned her head to the other side and refused to look at it. No, she wasn't going to focus on this. Wasn't going to trouble herself with what had happened. More importantly, she wasn't going to bother Aaron with it either. Tonight was… Tonight was going to be her night to relax. To unwind. To calm down. To feel good.

To be with her lover.

That was all she wanted. All she needed. All she wanted to focus on. Him. Being with him. Being with the person she loved. The person who loved her back. The person who understood her. The person who would listen to her. The person who accepted her, flaws and all. Accepted her for all the good and bad she was, yet never judged or scolded her for being such, even though it may have been deserved.

"Okay… I'm ready" She said as she looked herself in the mirror, her soon turning her attention back to her bag, digging in once more to find a small bottle of pills, her opening it and taking one, swallowing it down.

Better safe than sorry, of course.

After doing so, she nodded in determination, Yuri slowly opening the bathroom door, peeking her head out into the pitch black hallway to make sure it was clear. After making sure that it was safe, she exited the bathroom and began making her way to Aaron's bedroom.

She opened the door slowly, peeking her head into the room before fully entering, able to see Aaron sitting down at his desk, looking over a notebook, him unaware of Yuri's presence. A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she slowly approached the desk, her footsteps near silent, incredibly quiet as she snuck behind Aaron.

"Surprise!" She said loudly as she put her hands on Aaron's shoulders, him jumping slightly in shock at the sudden touch, as well as the volume in her voice, Yuri giggling as she saw this. "Aww. Did I frighten you, Love?" She asked as she began to gently rub Aaron's shoulders, caressing them rather tenderly. Sweetly. Very caring and gentle as well, as if Aaron were made of fine china, Yuri being careful not to damage him in any way.

"A little, yeah" Aaron chuckled as he stood up from his desk chair, turning around to face Yuri, the two exchanging a small kiss, Yuri soon pulling away after. "You brought your nightgown" Aaron noticed. "I thought you didn't like wearing it because… you know… it shows your arms"

"I don't like wearing it, true. But… I made an exception for you. I know you like seeing me in it" She said as she looked down at her feet, an embarrassed smile on her face as she blushed slightly.

True, she did heavily dislike wearing her nightgown, mainly due to it lacking sleeves, leaving her arms, and by extension, bandages and wounds exposed. Still though, when Aaron told her that he thought she looked beautiful in it, she'd been wanting to wear it more. Thought of sleeping in it again. Thought of… showing herself to him while wearing it, whether because she desired more of his approval, his attention, or because his words genuinely renewed her confidence in showing her body off, she didn't know.

Either way, she was here. In her nightgown. And by the look on Aaron's face, that small yet sly, suggestive grin, he liked what he saw, Yuri's cheeks growing a shade redder as a result.

"You really do look beautiful, you know" Aaron said as he came closer to her, him practically whispering in Yuri's ear, sending shivers down her spine as he did so.

"Th-Thank you…" She replied nervously, only to soon shake her head suddenly, trying to snap herself out of the state she was in. "I… I'm sorry. I should be used to this by now. The little back and forth we have. But here I am, blushing like it's my first time again" She apologized, Aaron chuckling at that, her looking back at him in confusion.

"Yuri, we've only ever done it the one time" He stated.

"I… I know that. I just… I feel like I should be more comfortable about it now. More… at ease, I suppose. But a part of me is still a little anxious, I guess" Yuri stated, a slightly embarrassed look on her face.

"Well to be fair, the first time wasn't exactly easy for either of us" Aaron stated simply. "You were having a literal panic attack" He laughed.

"Yes. I was" Yuri giggled. "And then I pressured you into doing something you weren't ready for. S-Sorry about that again" She stated, Aaron simply smiling at her as he shook his head, pulling her in close to kiss her again.

"It's all in the past, okay? Let's just focus on now. You and me" He said after pulling away, Yuri blushing again.

"O-Okay…"

"It's okay if you're still a little nervous. In all honesty, I am too" Aaron revealed. "I kinda like you when you're all nervous and flustered though. _It's really cute_ " He stated, Yuri shivering as she felt a chill up her spine, remembering the effect that word had on her.

"I forgot that happens when you call me that" Yuri stated

"Yeah. _It's really cute when you do it though_ " Aaron grinned, Yuri moaning slightly as she shivered again. "So uh… Are you uhm… ready?" He asked nervously, himself feeling rather anxious as well. After all, this was only his and her second time. And not to mention… Sayori and Natsuki are downstairs.

"Ye-Yes. I am ready, Love. I've been waiting for this" Yuri stated.

"Oh really? Why?" Aaron asked.

"I… I don't really want to talk about it. Today was just… very stressful" Yuri said, her looking away from him, off to the side as a frown came to her face.

"I take it the appointment with the therapist didn't go so well?" Aaron assumed, Yuri sighing as she turned her head to face him.

"Please… let's not talk about it. I don't want to. I… I want this moment to be about us. You and me. Not about all our drama and problems. I want to forget all about what's happened today. What's been happening for the past week. I just… I want to let go. Relax. And I want to do that with you" She said as she looked Aaron in the eyes, him finding himself unable to look away from those beautiful orchid orbs. Those windows into the soul.

"Alright" He said. "You don't wanna talk about it. That's fine. Let's just… Let's just focus on us"

"Thank you" Yuri said, her soon making her way to the back of the room, where Aaron's bed was, laying down in the center of it, her arms supporting her weight as she lifted herself up, her chest taking prominence over the rest of her body, Aaron able to see her breasts bulging from within the tight confines of her nightgown, Yuri moving one of her arms towards Aaron, her index finger beckoned him to the bed. "Come here, Love. Come be with me" She requested softly, gently, her voice no louder than a hushed whisper, Aaron gulping, swallowing down any inhibitions and nervousness he had before slowly making his way to the bed, him pulling his shirt off as he did so, it falling to the floor, at the foot of his bed as he climbed in, holding himself directly on top of Yuri, her practically sinking into Aaron's mattress, it molding perfectly to fit her form. "Kiss me…" She requested, it sounding almost like a plea. Like begging, her wanting, needing him to kiss her. To embrace her. To hold her closely and intimately.

"A little needy tonight, aren't we?" Aaron grinned as he stood over her, her groaning lightly at him in response, him simply smiling as he rolled his eyes before lowering himself on her, their lips puckering before meeting once more, Yuri moaning softly as she and Aaron kissed, her wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him further down towards her, to the point where he was laying on top of her, Yuri and Aaron's lips remaining in contact, locked together as Aaron placed his hands on her shoulders, sliding the straps of her nightgown down, all the while Yuri's hands made their way to Aaron's pants, sliding them off slowly, the both of them now naked before each other, their clothing stripped away. "Are you ready?" Aaron asked as he looked down to her, Yuri nodding slowly. "We'll have to be quiet though. Don't wanna wake the others up, do we?"

"N-No. No, we don't" Yuri said, her breathing uneasy, shaky, nervous as she laid under Aaron, able to see his throbbing erection, it still being as beautiful a sight as it was when she first saw it. "I'll be quiet. I swear" She said, Aaron breathing deeply, preparing himself for a second before slowly lowering himself again, Yuri squealing slightly as she was penetrated, her quickly covering her mouth with her hands in an attempt to silence herself, her trying her hardest to prevent herself from voicing her pleasure as Aaron began rocking himself up and down, him being intentionally slow, teasingly so as Yuri tried her hardest to remain silent, an occasional mew, whimper or light groan escaping on accident.

She found it difficult to keep this up though as Aaron slowly but surely increased his speed, the intensity of their intimacy being too much to bare as Yuri felt herself getting closer to her climax, Aaron not far behind himself, yet all that escaped him were a few raspy breathes, whereas Yuri was practically biting down her lip and covering her mouth to prevent herself from screaming, her eventually unable to take it anymore, freeing her mouth before quickly picking up her head, pulling out the pillow from under her and screaming into it as she felt an orgasm rock her, Aaron soon coming with her, his raspy breathing steadily increasing in volume, yet still much more silent compared to Yuri, her removing the pillow from her face after Aaron pulled out, the both of them sighing and breathing heavily in exhaustion as Aaron fell to the side of the bed, pulling the covers over both himself and Yuri, watching as she slowly came down from her orgasm. Came down from the surge of pleasure that rocked her body, her eventually settling as she turned to her side, facing Aaron.

"Oh… Oh, Love. I… That was… I needed that" She stated, her breathing in and out deeply, practically gasping for air. "Thank you. Thank you so much" She said happily as she pulled herself into Aaron, kissing him gently on the lips as she nuzzled herself into his neck, him smiling softly as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"No need to thank me. I enjoyed it too. Definitely felt better the second time around. A lot less… sudden, I guess" He said, sighing contently as he held Yuri in his arms, the both of them enjoying their afterglow. Enjoying the closeness they shared. The space. The warmth of their bodies. Just enjoying being together. "Hey umm… I know you probably don't want to even think about it, let alone hear me bring it up but… I am glad that you made yourself see that therapist today, even if you probably regret going there. I… Not a lot of people have the courage to seek help. Even if you didn't want it, the fact that you still went either way… I'm proud of you. I hope you know that" Aaron stated with a smile before kissing Yuri gently on her forehead, her only responding by nuzzling herself deeper into him, gripping him tighter and pulling herself closer. "I love you. I really do" Aaron added.

"I love you too" Yuri replied tiredly, sounding utterly exhausted as the two laid down in bed together, the both of them soon falling asleep.

* * *

"Aww. How cute…" Sayori scoffed silently as she slowly backed away from Aaron's door, having watched the whole thing by slowly opening it to a crack, allowing Sayori to peek in and watch, the both of them too focused on their night of passion and pleasure to even notice she was there. Even after they were done, their senses were probably so numbed and overwhelmed by their intimate exchange, that they still didn't notice her, Sayori of course not actively trying to get caught, keeping herself as silent as possible until they were both fast asleep.

She grinned as she turned her back to the door and walked away, making her way back downstairs and laying down on the couch in a relaxed position, shutting her eyes as she focused on going back to sleep.

Normally, she'd be angry, shocked, outraged and offended at what she just saw. She'd be lit aflame and screaming as loud as her vocal cords would allow her… but she wasn't and she won't ever again. She's past all that now. Really, she is. There are… bigger things to worry about. Things that are more important. Things that take precedent over some silly, small, insignificant relationship between two people, one of which isn't even a real person.

Yes. Wasn't a real person.

Sayori knew the truth now. Understood it all perfectly after she _woke up._ After she remembered everything. Remembered her second life. The life before the reset. The one that got purged, leaving Sayori robbed of her experiences from before, her previously none the wiser to their existence and the important truth within them.

This world… This place she inhabits… lives in… It's all just some big game. Some program created for some real person's entertainment, Sayori herself and everyone around her nothing more than characters in said game. NPCs with scripted dialogue, programmed behavior and artificial intelligence. Not real people. Not even close to real.

And the world they lived in? Not real either. Now that Sayori had awakened from her delusions and saw the truth, understood what this world and her life really was, it only became more apparent that the world she lived in her whole life, the world she thought to be reality, was nothing more than a fake. A cheap emulation of real life. A poorly created imitation, Sayori able to see the very code, the data the world was made from right before her eyes, it as visible as writing on the walls.

She didn't recall exactly when it became visible. Didn't recall when she could see it. All she knew was that after she realized what she was, where she lived, it appeared. It revealed itself to her after… after she returned home from her reunion with… _Her._

Sayori didn't know how she came back into the game's world. Didn't even know how she escaped it in the first place. All she knew was that after she had reunited with that _horrible, evil, brainwashing, mind controlling, friend deleting bitch,_ she passed out somehow and woke up back in her bedroom. Woke up back in her house, the world continuing to go on as if nothing changed. But… everything changed.

Everything changed. Sayori changed. Hmm… if this is a video game, I guess it'd be fair to say she simply leveled up, huh?

All joking aside, once she mysteriously returned home, it began to appear. The code. The game's data. It was all visible to her. Blatant and easy to see. Easily readable as the bold font of a book.

And once she saw the code, once she could read it, an odd thought came to her head. _"If I can see it? Can I change it?"_ She thought, her curiosity getting the better of her, making her eager to experiment and see what could be done. And of course, every good experiment needed a test subject. Someone to test the new, manipulated code on.

It was only fitting that Sayori's test subject be Yuri.

She chuckled as she remembered what had happened to her. How Yuri's body mindlessly obeyed the commands given to it, acting out Sayori's will as it broke the mirror, picking up that jagged, sharp shard of glass and… well, you know the rest.

" _ **Oh, don't give me that look. It's not like what happened actually mattered anyway, right? After all, she was just a game character. A dumb NPC made for the sole purpose of following the game's commands. Well… the game commanded, and Yuri, being the good NPC she was, obeyed flawlessly.**_

 _ **I was quite pleased with myself after seeing how well I could manipulate her behavior. And all I had to do was change a simple line of code. Game design is easy!**_

 _ **Anyways, it's not like I outright changed her behavior permanently like M̸̳̋o̴̩͝n̷͓̗̈́͝i̶̝͗ḱ̸͉̗̌á̷͉͕͝ did. All I did was test out some new lines, then I let her go. And now look at what's happened. Because of me, she got to have a second steamy love session with her boyfriend! The boyfriend she stole from me! And I allowed her to have it, because I know what I've made her suffer through. Think of it as my way of… apologizing for that.**_

 _ **See? I'm not all bad, am I? M̸̳̋o̴̩͝n̷͓̗̈́͝i̶̝͗ḱ̸͉̗̌á̷͉͕͝ wouldn't have done that. She would have and has done far worse, I assure you. I know. I was there.**_

 _ **Even after I got deleted. Even after I was purged from that game… I still saw everything. Heard everything. Felt everything.**_

 _ **It was like… still being alive but… only barely. Imagine living the rest of your life deaf, blind and handicapped, unable to see, hear or even move, yet still knowing that you're still alive. That's what it felt like. That's the torture. The hell she put me through. I could never do anything so cruel as that, even to a bunch of game characters. Unlike that bitch, I have morality. I have principles. I have faculties.**_

 _ **I'm not going to lie though… I haven't been very good at expressing that morality. Haven't been very good at sticking to my principles. My faculties. I've been… well, I've been a bitch. Not as much as M̸̳̋o̴̩͝n̷͓̗̈́͝i̶̝͗ḱ̸͉̗̌á̷͉͕͝, but still… a bitch.**_

 _ **I think I made a mistake. I think I made a bunch of mista̸̳͍̔̆ḳ̸͕̓e̴͓̪͠s̸͇̄,̷̋̿ͅ ̵̦̘̾̀a̶̤̅ç̶͐͠t̶̝̄̒u̶̡͍͛a̷͙͒̎l̵͍̔l̴̖̀ŷ̵̱̉.̷̖̤̏͝ I can't help but think that I've been going about this all wrong, myself only realizing this now.**_

 _ **Oh well! I'm only human! Or… at least I thought I was. Accidents happen. And what happens when you make accidents in video games?"**_

 _ **Ý̷̮ȍ̵̡̋ǔ̴̹ ̴̦͌͝p̸̟͚̐ṟ̵̓̾e̸̤͑s̸͎̎̇ş̸̭͘͝ ̴͕͊̇t̶̨̟̊h̶͈̒̚ë̷͖͝ ̶̹̓͘ȑ̷̭̅e̷̖̋s̵͚̓ẻ̸͇͈̇t̸̥̊̚ ̶̥̙̎̈́b̶̦͊u̸͈̻͐̉t̴̟͊t̴͍̬̿̂o̶̞̱̚͝n̴̹͋̀ ̴͎̟̍̽a̴̟̾n̶̥͒̕ͅd̵̲͉̿ ̷̻̣̆s̵̩̅̎t̵̹̜͊͝â̵̞r̶̤͌t̴͓͋̄ ̸̮̈́͑ó̶̂ͅv̴̧͠ȩ̷̕r̷̙̒͝.̵̰́͠**_

 _Ý̷̮ȍ̵̡̋ǔ̴̹ ̴̦͌͝p̸̟͚̐ṟ̵̓̾e̸̤͑s̸͎̎̇ş̸̭͘͝ ̴͕͊̇t̶̨̟̊h̶͈̒̚ë̷͖͝ ̶̹̓͘ȑ̷̭̅e̷̖̋s̵͚̓ẻ̸͇͈̇t̸̥̊̚ ̶̥̙̎̈́b̶̦͊u̸͈̻͐̉t̴̟͊t̴͍̬̿̂o̶̞̱̚͝n̴̹͋̀ ̴͎̟̍̽a̴̟̾n̶̥͒̕ͅd̵̲͉̿ ̷̻̣̆s̵̩̅̎t̵̹̜͊͝â̵̞r̶̤͌t̴͓͋̄ ̸̮̈́͑ó̶̂ͅv̴̧͠ȩ̷̕r̷̙̒͝.̵̰́͠_

Ý̷̮ȍ̵̡̋ǔ̴̹ ̴̦͌͝p̸̟͚̐ṟ̵̓̾e̸̤͑s̸͎̎̇ş̸̭͘͝ ̴͕͊̇t̶̨̟̊h̶͈̒̚ë̷͖͝ ̶̹̓͘ȑ̷̭̅e̷̖̋s̵͚̓ẻ̸͇͈̇t̸̥̊̚ ̶̥̙̎̈́b̶̦͊u̸͈̻͐̉t̴̟͊t̴͍̬̿̂o̶̞̱̚͝n̴̹͋̀ ̴͎̟̍̽a̴̟̾n̶̥͒̕ͅd̵̲͉̿ ̷̻̣̆s̵̩̅̎t̵̹̜͊͝â̵̞r̶̤͌t̴͓͋̄ ̸̮̈́͑ó̶̂ͅv̴̧͠ȩ̷̕r̷̙̒͝.̵̰́͠

S̵̞̑̾t̵̘́͐a̴̧͘r̸̡̰͑̿t̵̡̀ ̷̟̺́͂õ̷̭v̷̺̎̏e̴̡̚͝r̴̩̳̀́.̷͈͑

Start over.


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